The Inspiring Lucy McBath

Who is Lucy McBath?  She is a trailblazer who beat the GOP establishment in Georgia.  She defeated incumbent Republican Karen Handle to become the first Democrat to represent the State's Sixth Congressional District since the Carter Administration.  As a black woman, she captivated voters with a heartfelt message of love and survival that transcended race and class in one of Georgia's most diverse districts.

The well-publicized death of her son propelled her into politics.  While sitting in a car with other young men at a Jacksonville, Florida, gas station in 2012,  he was shot to death by a middle-aged white man following an argument over loud music coming from her son's vehicle. He was found guilty of second-degree murder during his second trial.  Instead of burying her head in the sand,  she spoke out passionately against gun violence with other grieving mothers around the county, which included appearances at the White House on behalf of her late son and at the 2016 Democratic Convention, where she voiced support for Hilary Clinton.  Her activism culminated with her Congressional campaign in 2018.  She opposed the NRA and supported universal background checks for gun applicants.

She also spoke candidly about her battle with breast cancer as she made women's health a central part of her candidacy.  She came out in support of expanding Medicaid in Georgia to help fight chronic female illnesses.  She also backed Planned Parenthood, a woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion, and efforts to save rural hospitals across the State.  And like most Democrats,  she praised the Affordable Care Act, which she believes benefits all Georgians.

Finally,  McBath appealed to everyday citizens in the district she would come to represent in Congress,  who saw her as the neighbor down the street.  She fashioned herself as a routine Delta Airlines employee that many could relate to.  They also found common ground with her fight to overcome breast cancer and other personal issues that candidates shied away from.  It made her one of the people and clinched her victory in the tight race.

Whether or not she gets reelected in 2020,  she will have fulfilled her mission of love and care for others.  When her time in the national limelight does end,  she will return to her grassroots efforts of setting the record straight on the senseless violence that grips our beloved country.