Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has issued a scathing response to the Democratic National Committee following the decision to pass over Atlanta, and omit the city entirely from its shortlist, for the 2028 Democratic National Convention.
In a statement posted on his Instagram account, Dickens argued that by bypassing Georgia’s capital, national party leadership is ignoring the pivotal role the region plays in national politics and taking its most loyal voting base for granted.
“They are afraid to leave their comfort zone and blind to the fact that the South is the answer,” Dickens stated. “They are abandoning Atlanta, abandoning the South, and once again abandoning Black voters.”
The rejection was particularly frustrating for city leaders given Atlanta’s global reputation for handling high-profile events. Dickens highlighted the city’s recent selection as a top FIFA World Cup host city, alongside State Farm Arena’s status as one of the nation’s premier venues, as clear proof that logistics were never the issue. Instead, Dickens characterized the decision by DNC Chairman Ken Martin and party leadership as a political mistake that fails to recognize the strategic value of the American South.
“Atlanta is the crown jewel of the Southeast, the Black economic engine of the country, and the cradle of the civil rights movement,” Dickens noted. “For the DNC to not even include Atlanta in the shortlist means that the DNC does not consider Atlanta or Georgia relevant to the past, present, or future of the Democratic Party.”
With Georgia remaining one of the most critical battleground states in national politics, Dickens pointed out the contrast between the two major parties. He emphasized that while Republicans actively leverage southern strongholds, Democrats continue to retreat to familiar territory rather than investing in the region driving political realignment.
“At a time when Trump and the Supreme Court are minimizing Black electoral power, we need a party that would come to Atlanta and galvanize the Southeast for 2028 and beyond,” Dickens wrote. “Instead, they are running scared and retreat to their safe spaces. I’m ready for Democratic leadership that understands what every Democratic voter already knows: that this is a moment that demands we run toward battles and into the fight.”
As the DNC moves forward with its shortened list of host cities, Boston, Denver, and Philadelphia, Dickens’ criticism is an example of growing tensions between grassroots Southern organizers, Black political leaders, and national party strategists ahead of the 2028 election cycle.
