The First Ask Congratulates Debra Shigley on Her Historic Democratic Turnout in Georgia Senate Senate District 21’s Special Election
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2025
Contact: Eleanor Walter
The First Ask Congratulates Debra Shigley on Her Historic Democratic Turnout in Georgia Senate Senate District 21’s Special Election
Washington, DC – The First Ask endorsed candidate Debra Shigley has successfully gained 11,955 votes in the Georgia State Senate District 21 special election. This is historic Democratic turnout in a district where a Democratic candidate earned only 29.7% of the vote in November 2024.
Shigley, a mom, attorney, and small business owner, ran on her experience in the community and her desire to increase funding for public schools, expand healthcare access, and make it more affordable to raise a family in Georgia.
Although Democrats did not successfully flip the seat, the turnout here, especially for a runoff race in a special election, is crucial for predicting a flip in future races. Shigley won the primary with 39.5% of the vote, overperforming expectations.
Executive Director of The First Ask, Caroline Welles, has made the following statement regarding the outcome of Shigley’s race:
“Congratulations to Debra for her historic turnout in Georgia State Senate District 21! Debra has proven to be a voice for all Georgians, working towards a more affordable, safe, and equitable future. Debra is absolutely one of the voices we need working towards flipping state legislative seats blue and advancing gender parity. The First Ask is so proud to have supported Debra since November 2023!”
The First Ask is a 527 political action committee dedicated to identifying and supporting Democratic women to run for State Chambers nationwide. The organization advocates for proportionate gender representation in state legislatures by increasing the share of women serving in legislatures from 32% to 51%.
