UNASB-Coded: How an Election in Georgia Directly Relates to Pocketbooks
Why Democrats winning two nonfederal statewide elections for the first time since 2006 is a HUGE deal.
We started Unfortunately Not A Sound Bath in the beginning of this year because we realized we had absolutely no idea what:
Creators and new-media figures on the right were saying
People were listening to and how it was making them think/feel/act
How we got to this moment and how to get out of it
Over the past 11 months we’ve had over 500 people join our quirky book club-meets listening club-meets therapy session-meets 3rd space meetings. And we’ve learned a LOT.
Simultaneously, in my day job, I have had my eye on the under-the-radar, not terribly sexy, local elections of 2025. Which takes us to the two Republican seats up for the grabs on Georgia’s Public Service Commission (PSC).
The Georgia Public Service Commission…
The PSC controls energy costs and Georgia has some of the highest energy bills in the country. It’s been an entirely Republican body for decades and since 2023 alone, has voted six times to raise rates, leaving Georgia families paying $43 more per month on average.
Everyone working on this race expected low turnout and knew, bottom line, it would come down to how many people:
Knew about the race
Were upset enough about the cost of the electricity bills to turn out on an off-election year
On Tuesday, Democrats did what a lot of people did that was impossible. Not only did they flip 2 seats on the PSC, both Democrats won by more than 20 points. That is unheard of. This is the first time Democrats have won a nonfederal statewide election since 2006.
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You might be thinking... This is random and cool but how does this relate to UNASB??
Affordability is the theme of the whole night, year, era, and how we (UNASB and hopefully YOU) think Dems can fight back. The themes of so many of the podcasts we listen to are a lack of affordability and the loss of the American dream. Podcasts are a tool that helps us unlock these key messages.
While the majority of strategists and consultants in DC thought these races weren’t worth fighting, this week proved that voters can be motivated to vote people out—regardless of political affiliation—that have been raising electricity prices while corporations (the utilities companies) profit.
In UNASB we also talk a lot about how Democrats (especially Democrats that are currently elected to Federal office or are running campaigns) seem to constantly miss the mark when it comes to learning lessons. All year I felt like I was screaming into a void asking my colleagues at progressive organizations to care about the PSC race.
Party officials/pundits missed it, but people like Hank Green and Hood Anchor Ye, unlikely yet trustworthy messengers were part of what made the difference. While these kinds of messengers on the right have deep political/shadow network apparatuses, Hank Green and Ye used their following and people power (grassroots) to turn a pain point into a message of agency.
Hood Anchor Ye and Hank Green (+ Vote Save America <3) just did the thing we’ve been saying the left needs:
Keep it simple
Clearly repeat the problem and solution (high prices + change in leadership) multiple times
Have an energizing call to action (for example- only 1% of Georgia needs to see this to lower power bills)
Pay Attention to This Moment
This win is so important and shows the power of people sharing with their friends, family, and literally anyone they know, about a simple election that could potentially lower costs for you. This isn’t meta. This is specific and real.
UNASB universal truths:
Talk to people in your life about what’s happening (even if you assume they already agree with you)
Explain things in simple terms and make them relatable
Focus on the long game instead of what’s right in front of you