The Trump era has changed the politics of local elections in Georgia, a pivotal 2024 battleground

By BILL BARROW
Associated Press

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. (AP) — The political dynamics in some of Atlanta’s suburbs reflect how partisan and cultural divisions have trickled down to local campaigns. Some activists and voters now view these nominally nonpartisan contests as critical fronts in shaping the nation’s identity. In Johns Creek, Georgia, one candidate for City Council was endorsed by a group called Veterans for Trump. And in accepting that backing, the candidate spoke about how she got into politics because Democrats were, in her words, “starting to infiltrate on the local level.” Former President Donald Trump and other national Republicans often warn of takeovers by China or by people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.