By: Randy Evans

With Republicans firmly in control of both the Georgia House of Representatives and Georgia Senate, as well as every constitutional office in Georgia, most might wonder what “politics” could possibly exist under the Gold Dome? Yet, politics abound. It is the politics of the future that swirl through the halls of the Capitol. Yes, it is a distant future, but it is nonetheless a future with immense present-day political implications.

Certainly, there will be elections next year. But those are not the elections actually impacting the maneuverings down at the state Capitol. Demographics and incumbency make Republicans the favorites in 2014. Absent a scandal, not even an incumbent Democratic president, Barack Obama, could tilt this decidedly red state to blue. Even if the potential political opportunity existed, Georgia Democrats have no bench. There are Democratic leaders in the making, but their time has not yet come.

Even if a bench existed, Gov. Nathan Deal has exceeded every expectation, leaving little room for either a primary challenge or a serious general election challenge. Meanwhile, most (but not all) of his Republican colleagues have avoided the kinds of missteps that create openings for challengers. Strangely enough, instead of 2014, it is 2018 that is on Georgia politicians’ minds. Indeed, 2018 has the attention of both Democrats and Republicans. For both parties thinking about 2018, the single most important political dynamic comes from Georgia’s Constitution. Georgia governors can only serve two consecutive terms. As a result, Gov. Deal will not be able to run for re-election in 2018. This opens up all kinds of possibilities.

For Democrats thinking about 2018, it is clear that Georgia is changing. After North Carolina, Georgia was the closest state that Gov. Mitt Romney carried over President Barack Obama in the 2012 Presidential Election. Democrats expect that gap to continue to close over the next six years as Georgia’s demographics change. With no incumbent to defeat, there is little doubt that Georgia Democrats have their sights clearly set on a competitive potentially purple Georgia in 2018. Already, young gun Democrats in the 2013 Georgia General Assembly have started their political plans for that opportunity.