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NGA CAN's Progressive Picks: Cobb County Voter Guide for May 19, 2026
- May 14
- 13 min read
About These Voter Guides
North Georgia Community Action Network (NGA CAN) is built on a simple principle: democracy works when everyone participates, and it works better when ordinary people—not billionaires and corporations—drive the decisions that affect our lives.
Our membership is genuinely diverse. We have leftists and progressives, Democrats and Independents, libertarians and anarchists, and yes, even some Republicans. We have people who disagree on plenty of things.
What unites us is not a single ideology, but shared commitments:
Transparency in government. We believe decisions that affect our communities should be made in public, with input from the people they affect.
Real access to democracy. We fight for voting rights, fair elections, and an end to gerrymandering and voter suppression.
Civic engagement. We believe ordinary people should have a seat at the table—in city council meetings, school board meetings, county commissions, and state legislatures.
People over billionaires. We oppose the consolidation of power in the hands of wealthy individuals and corporations that can buy elections, block affordable housing, raise utility rates, and dodge accountability.
We Are Unapologetically Progressive
Our voter guides are assembled by NGA CAN using publicly available candidate information, endorsements, and platforms. They reflect our research into who will advance these shared values in the races we cover.
We are unapologetically progressive in these guides. NGA CAN was founded on progressive, common-sense values—the belief that government should work for working people, that public services matter, that the environment is worth protecting, that everyone deserves healthcare and a decent wage. Our guides reflect that perspective.
This does not mean candidates who aren't our top pick are "bad." Politics is not binary. A candidate might excel on government transparency but disagree with us on healthcare policy. Another might prioritize environmental protection differently than we do. Our guides are written for people whose north star is progressivism—but we respect that your north star might point somewhere else entirely.
How to Use These Guides
These guides are tools for thinking, not commands for voting. We research candidates' stated positions, endorsements, track records, and willingness to be accountable. We share what we find.
You should:
Read the information critically
Research candidates on your own
Attend candidate forums and debates
Talk to your neighbors about who they support and why
Vote according to your values, not ours
Voting Information
Election Day: May 19, 2026, 7 AM to 7 PM
Early Voting: April 27 through May 15 at Cobb County Elections Office, 193 Roswell Street, Marietta, GA 30060
Check your registration and sample ballot: https://mvp.sos.ga.gov
Cobb County Elections: https://www.cobbcounty.gov/elections
State Senate Races
State Senate District 33
Democratic Primary: Michael "Doc" Rhett (Incumbent) vs. Lisa Anderson
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NGA CAN's Progressive Pick: Michael "Doc" Rhett
Michael Rhett is the incumbent and the clear progressive choice. Rhett was the first African American elected to the Georgia State Senate from Cobb County and has served since 2015. He has earned strong progressive credentials and has been named both the Cobb County Democratic Legislator of the Year and Environment Georgia Environmental Legislator of the Year. In the voter guide published by Marietta Daily Journal, Rhett articulated strong positions on affordability, healthcare, education, and opposing regressive tax cuts. He opposes property tax cuts that would require raising sales taxes on working people, and advocates instead for adequate funding of public schools and expanding Medicaid.
Lisa Anderson is a district general agent who has recently qualified as a challenger. Limited public information is available about her platform and positions compared to Rhett's established record of progressive advocacy.
State Senate District 35
Democratic Primary: Jaha Howard (Incumbent) vs. Elfreda Desvignes vs. Erica-Denise Solomon
NGA CAN's Progressive Pick: Erica-Denise Solomon
Erica-Denise Solomon, a former Atlanta journalist and South Fulton consultant, is the strongest progressive choice in this race. She has earned endorsements from Georgia WIN List and Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate, signaling genuine progressive credentials on reproductive freedom and gun safety. Her platform prioritizes affordable housing, education, infrastructure investment, and mental health support in policing—core progressive priorities. Solomon ran in the November 2025 special election (receiving 17.3% of the vote in a five-way race) and is running again in the May primary. She brings communication skills from her journalism background and has built a clean record of progressive advocacy without controversy.
Why not Jaha Howard (Incumbent): Howard, a pediatric dentist and former Cobb County School Board member, won a December 2025 special election runoff. However, his record raises serious concerns for progressive voters. In 2017, his Facebook posts from 2011-2014 expressing sexist and homophobic views were unearthed—he expressed concerns about a "homosexual agenda in public education," questioned Girl Scouts' support for LGBTQ rights, and said women should only teach other women. Most critically, when his apology was incomplete, he doubled down, stating he believes being gay is a sin and women shouldn't teach men in church settings. However, during this year's campaign, Howard has emphasized his commitment to LGBTQ and women's rights, and he received an endorsement from state Sen. RaShaun Kemp, one of the two openly gay lawmakers in the state Senate. Nonetheless, his personal belief that being gay is a "sin" fundamentally conflicts with genuine progressive values on LGBTQ equality. Incumbency does not override the question of whether a candidate actually holds progressive values.
Elfreda Desvignes was a Republican until May 2024, when she switched to the Democratic Party. She ran in the 2022 Republican primary for Congress, and then ran as a Democratic write-in candidate in the 2024 general election. She attended a Trump White House policy briefing in 2019 as part of her earlier Republican involvement. While she focuses on cost of living, education, and healthcare access, her recent party switch and limited Democratic track record relative to Howard's incumbency suggest Howard is the stronger choice.
State Senate District 37
Democratic Primary: Darcy Castro vs. Zachary Neville (vs. Republican incumbent Ed Setzler in November general election)
NGA CAN's Progressive Pick: Darcy Castro
This is a Democratic primary to determine who will face Republican incumbent Ed Setzler in November. While both candidates bring progressive platforms, Darcy Castro emerges as the clearer progressive choice.
Darcy Castro is a communications consultant and Air Force spouse with deep community involvement. She emphasizes transparency, proactive community communication, and leadership focused on solving real problems for Georgia families. Her values are rooted in integrity, kindness, and respect. She specifically critiques the current representative (Setzler) for lack of transparency and community engagement, and is willing to directly challenge the incumbent's inaction.
Zachary Neville is a finance manager and recent chair of the Cobb Young Democrats (since mid-2024). He brings youth and organizational experience, with a platform focused on affordable housing, healthcare access, childcare costs, environmental protection, and small business support. His approach emphasizes coalition-building and finding common ground.
Why Castro:
While both candidates are progressive, Castro's sharp focus on accountability and transparency, combined with her willingness to directly challenge the incumbent for lack of engagement, represents a more genuinely progressive approach than Neville's emphasis on coalition-building and finding common ground with Republicans. In a district where the incumbent has shown little responsiveness, aggressive accountability and confrontation with power is more progressive than consensus-seeking. Castro's willingness to fight for transparency and challenge the status quo makes her the stronger progressive choice.
A note on Neville:
Neville's specific policy focus on affordable housing, healthcare, and childcare is substantive, and his organizational experience is solid. However, his emphasis on bipartisan cooperation and common ground-finding is less confrontational to power than what this district needs from a progressive representative. If you prioritize consensus-building over accountability, Neville's approach has merit, but Castro's aggressive challenge to the incumbent represents stronger progressivism.
State House Races
State House District 35
Democratic Primary: Lisa Gayle Campbell (Incumbent, Uncontested)
NGA CAN's Progressive Pick: Lisa Gayle Campbell
Vote Lisa Gayle Campbell. Campbell is running unopposed in the Democratic primary and is an excellent progressive choice. The first woman elected to represent District 35, Campbell brings 30 years of professional leadership experience to the legislature. Her platform centers on equity, healthcare access, education funding, reproductive rights, and voting access.
Campbell has earned strong endorsements from Planned Parenthood Southeast, Georgia Equality, Georgia Association of Educators, the AFL-CIO, Fair Fight Action, and Georgia WIN List. In her first term, she sponsored the Equal Rights Amendment and will continue that fight. She opposes Georgia's six-week abortion ban and fights for reproductive freedom. She champions fully funded public schools, affordable healthcare, and protection of voting rights.
State House District 37
Democratic Primary: Mary Frances Williams (Incumbent) vs. Graham Bowers
Both candidates are running strong progressive campaigns with different strengths and emphases.
Mary Frances Williams is the incumbent, having served District 37 since 2018. She focuses on judicial reform, law enforcement accountability, healthcare affordability, tax code modernization, and closing special interest loopholes. Her platform explicitly addresses the schools-to-prison pipeline, supports comprehensive judicial reform, and emphasizes social services and healthy community development as alternatives to over-reliance on law enforcement. She supports policies that help entrepreneurs start and keep businesses while modernizing the tax code to benefit working people rather than the wealthy.
Graham Bowers is a 26-year-old IT specialist running to bring new energy and responsiveness to District 37. After winning a residency challenge, he is committed to staying actively involved in community by attending school board and city council meetings and holding quarterly town halls. His platform emphasizes lowering everyday costs (affordability crisis), protecting fundamental rights including reproductive healthcare, expanding access to quality education, protecting and improving healthcare access, and strengthening transportation. He emphasizes that representation shouldn't only happen in Atlanta, and that elected officials need to show up and listen to constituents regularly.
Two solid progressive choices:
Both candidates would represent District 37 as genuine progressives. Williams brings eight years of proven progressive work in the legislature, with deep expertise in criminal justice reform and education policy. Her track record shows sustained commitment to systemic reform. Bowers brings fresh energy, strong focus on affordability and cost-of-living issues, and commitment to constituent accessibility and community presence.
If you prioritize criminal justice reform experience and a proven legislative track record, Williams' background is the stronger fit. If you prioritize focus on affordability, newer energy, and strong constituent engagement/accessibility, Bowers' commitment to regular town halls and community presence deserves consideration. Either candidate would advance progressive values and accountability in this district.
State House District 42
Democratic Primary: Gabriel Sanchez (Incumbent) vs. Carlos Vilela
NGA CAN's Progressive Pick: Gabriel Sanchez
Gabriel Sanchez is the incumbent and the clear progressive choice. Sanchez is the first Democratic Socialist elected to the Georgia General Assembly, representing District 42 (Smyrna and surrounding areas). Elected in 2024 by upset victory over an incumbent, Sanchez brings authentic grassroots organizing experience, immigrant family background, and deep commitment to workers' rights.
His platform centers on housing, healthcare, and economy for all. He champions a $20 minimum wage, corporate accountability for housing affordability, and universal healthcare. He has formed the Georgia Progressive Caucus and works across the aisle while never compromising on his core commitment to working people. He explicitly refuses corporate and corporate PAC money. He has hired an immigrant liaison to support immigrant communities and protect them from ICE.
Carlos Vilela is a moderate attorney who emphasizes bipartisan cooperation, incremental solutions, and describes himself as someone who does not engage in "performative politics." While his legal background is legitimate, his framing of progressive proposals as "unconstitutional" and his emphasis on making friends with Republicans over pushing for fundamental change represent a fundamentally different vision than Sanchez. In a district where working people and immigrants are struggling, Sanchez's willingness to fight for transformative change is essential.
State House District 44
General Election: Don Parsons (Republican Incumbent) vs. Danielle Bell (Democrat)
NGA CAN's Progressive Pick: Danielle Bell
Support Danielle Bell to unseat long-term Republican incumbent Don Parsons, who has held this seat since 1995. Bell is a clinical therapist with 15 years of professional experience in mental health, trauma, and organizational development. She brings lived understanding of family economic struggles and a commitment to healthcare access and education quality.
Bell's priorities include fixing the healthcare system, fighting affordability crisis, and ensuring her daughters have opportunities for their future. She is endorsed by Moms Demand Action as a Gun Sense Candidate and by Inseparable Action as the Mental Health Candidate 2025. She emphasizes that families struggle with financial security due to economic forces beyond their control, parents are frustrated by failing schools, and people across all ages struggle to access healthcare.
In 2024, Bell significantly increased Democratic turnout in her district by 36%, showing her ability to mobilize voters. Bell's willingness to show up, engage the community, and fight for working families stands in sharp contrast to a 30-year incumbent.
State House District 45
General Election: Sharon Cooper (Republican Incumbent) vs. Michelle Schreiner (Democrat)
NGA CAN's Progressive Pick: Michelle Schreiner
Support Michelle Schreiner to challenge Republican incumbent Sharon Cooper. Schreiner is a research manager from Cobb County who brings professional experience and strong commitment to progressive values.
Cooper has served since at least 2006 and has authored or co-authored legislation around healthcare and opioid response, positioning herself as bipartisan. However, she remains a Republican legislator in a district that deserves stronger progressive representation focused on healthcare access, housing, education, and workers' rights.
Schreiner brings progressive energy and commitment to challenges facing Georgia families. While limited public detail is available about her specific platform, her candidacy offers voters a clear Democratic alternative to long-term Republican representation.
Local Offices
Cobb County Solicitor General
Democratic Primary: Makia Metzger (Incumbent) vs. Christopher Futch
NGA CAN's Progressive Pick: Makia Metzger
Makia Metzger is the incumbent and the clear progressive choice. Metzger was elected in 2022 as the first Black woman to serve as Cobb County Solicitor General, defeating a Republican incumbent. She is originally from Sierra Leone and brings prosecutorial experience from Fulton County and Paulding County, along with work at the Athens Legal Aid Clinic.
As Solicitor General, Metzger reviews charges for misdemeanor offenses, determines which cases to prosecute, and represents the county in court. Her platform emphasizes domestic violence response, law enforcement training, and accountability in prosecution. She ran in 2022 as an outsider to the "good old boy" legal network and emphasized alternatives to prosecution like accountability courts and addressing root causes of crime—the right progressive approach to criminal justice.
Christopher Futch is an attorney with judicial experience but lacks the progressive track record and commitment to accountability that Metzger brings. Metzger's first term demonstrates her ability to bring progressive values to prosecution while maintaining public safety focus.
Cobb County Board of Education, Post 2
Democratic Primary: Rebecca Sayler (Incumbent, Uncontested)
NGA CAN's Progressive Pick: Rebecca Sayler
Vote Rebecca Sayler. She is running unopposed in the Democratic primary. Sayler was elected in 2022 and is seeking a second term. With no opposition, her reelection is assured—vote to affirm her continued service to Cobb schools.
Cobb County Board of Education, Post 4
Democratic Primary: Micheal Garza vs. Susan McCartney (General election vs. Republican incumbent David Chastain)
This is a genuine choice between two strong progressive candidates.
NGA CAN's Progressive Pick: Micheal Garza
Micheal Garza is a local business owner, PTA leader, co-founder of the Cobb Community Care Coalition, and two-time unsuccessful candidate for State House (2022, 2024). He brings persistent, visible community engagement and willingness to challenge board decisions that don't serve students. As a persistent critic of the board, Garza brings accountability focus and parent advocacy.
His primary concern has been school library content and concerns about book removals that he frames as "bans." While this language can be contested, his underlying point—that the district should not remove age-appropriate materials due to pressure—is valid. He emphasizes the importance of families having a voice and school board responsiveness to parents.
Susan McCartney is a retired educator with solid school credentials and focus on school safety. Her measured approach and emphasis on stability are not unimportant, but this board needs accountability and strong parent voice more than additional caution. The Republican incumbent will provide continuity; Democrats need to elect someone willing to question and challenge.
Garza's visible community presence, willingness to push for parent accountability, and focus on student-centered policies make him the better choice for progressive voters wanting a more responsive, accountable board.
The winner faces Republican incumbent David Chastain in November. Support whoever wins the Democratic primary.
Cobb County Board of Education, Post 6
Democratic Primary: Nichelle Davis (Incumbent) vs. Jennifer Susko
This is a sharp choice between two very different approaches to school board governance.
NGA CAN's Progressive Pick: Jennifer Susko
Jennifer Susko is a school counselor (now working for Georgia Cyber Academy) who has been a consistent presence at school board meetings since 2016, speaking out on equity and racial justice issues. She left her position as a counselor at Mableton Elementary in 2021 to speak out on issues facing students of color after the school board banned teaching Critical Race Theory and the 1619 Project.
Susko is running specifically because incumbent Nichelle Davis voted to extend Superintendent Chris Ragsdale's contract in February 2025. For Susko, that vote represented tacit approval of a district that has not meaningfully addressed well-documented concerns about racism affecting Black students and families. She emphasizes that Black and brown students have experienced racism in Cobb schools since at least 2016, with little meaningful response from district or board leadership. (Note: Davis voted against the contract extension again in February 2026, suggesting her position may have evolved.)
Susko's platform focuses on accountable leadership and oversight (the board's responsibility to manage the superintendent), responsive governance, student-centered policies, rolling back restrictions on public comment that limit community participation, and consistent questioning of decisions that don't benefit students. She has endorsement from former Post 6 board member Charisse Davis, who also advocated strongly for racial equity and faced similar board dynamics.
Nichelle Davis is a first-term incumbent who works in strategic operations and engagement. She voted to extend Ragsdale's contract in 2025 but voted against the extension in 2026, citing that the contract still had two years remaining and provided sufficient opportunity for continued growth and evaluation. She emphasizes that performance evaluations are personnel matters and approaches votes with "care and deliberation" based on available data.
The core issue is governance philosophy: Should the board provide consistent scrutiny and accountability, or should it allow time for superintendent development? For students experiencing documented racial bias, Susko's commitment to consistent scrutiny and willingness to question district decisions may be more responsive to their needs. Davis' measured approach, while reasonable in abstract terms, has not produced results for students of color, though her 2026 vote shows willingness to reconsider her position.
Cobb County Commission, District 1
General Election: Kevin Redmon (Democrat) vs. Republican primary winner (Keli Gambrill or Clark Hungerford)
While Kevin Redmon is unopposed in the Democratic primary, this race will be decided in November's general election. Redmon is a client executive and 2024 candidate. In November, support Kevin Redmon to represent District 1 with a progressive voice focused on working families, development accountability, and public service.
A Final Disclaimer
NGA CAN creates voter guides to help our community make informed progressive choices in elections where multiple candidates are running. This guide reflects research into candidates' stated platforms, endorsements from labor unions, environmental organizations, civil rights groups, and other progressive allies, as well as candidates' records in public service where available. Voters should conduct their own research and vote according to their values.
North Georgia Community Action Network (NGA CAN) is a volunteer-led progressive civic organization with thousands of members across Cherokee, Pickens, Bartow, Forsyth, Cobb, and surrounding Georgia counties. We fight for transparency in government, real access to democracy, and a Georgia where ordinary people—not billionaires and corporations—drive the decisions that affect our lives.
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