Mesha Mainor

American politician

Mesha Mainor

Member of the Georgia House of Representatives
from the 56th district
In office
January 11, 2021 – January 13, 2025
Preceded by| Mable Thomas
Succeeded by| Bryce Berry
Personal details
Born|  (1975-05-17) May 17, 1975 (age 50)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Political party| Democratic (until 2023)
Republican (2023–present)
Children| 2
Education| Howard University (BS, MPT)
Website| Campaign website

Mesha K. Mainor (born May 17, 1975) is an American politician who served as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives for the 56th district from 2021 to 2025.[1]

## Early life and education

[edit]

Of African-American heritage, Mainor was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and graduated from Benjamin Elijah Mays High School.[1] She received a BS in Health Science and Master's degree in physical therapy at Howard University. As of 2023[update], Mainor was working on a doctorate in business administration at Northcentral University.[1]

## Career

[edit]

Mainor began her political career in Washington, D.C. working with Congressman John Lewis. She later worked at the United States Agency for International Development in the Global Health division.[2]

In 2000, she began working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a speechwriter and research analyst for Assistant Surgeon General Helene D. Gayle. In this role, she was responsible for foreign and domestic public-health presentations, legislative testimonies, and film and radio productions, and she co-authored journal articles.[citation needed]

In Atlanta, she has served the physical-therapy community in leadership positions at Emory Healthcare and Children’s Hospital of Atlanta. She worked at Emory until 2019, when she resigned to run for Atlanta City Council’s District 3 special election.[3] She also founded and trademarked the Junior Business League, a program to teach children entrepreneurship and advocacy.[citation needed]

As a member of the Georgia House, Mainor represented Midtown Atlanta, Ansley Park, Castleberry Hill, English Avenue, Atlantic Station, Hunter Hills, Vine City, Dixie Hills, Mozley Park, Sherwood Forest, West Midtown, West End, and the last residing neighborhood of Martin Luther King Jr. before he died, in the Sunset Avenue Historical District.

On July 11, 2023, Mainor announced that she was leaving the Democratic Party for the Republican Party. Associated Press wrote of her switch, "The tension between Mainor and other Democrats burst into the open earlier this year after Mainor became the only Democrat to vote for a school voucher bill."[4] Mainor also spoke positively of the prosecutorial-oversight measure that Georgia governor Brian Kemp had made a priority.[5]

Mainor was defeated in the 2024 general election by Democratic candidate Bryce Berry, who received 83.8% of votes.[6]

## Personal life

[edit]

Mainor has two daughters that attend Atlanta Public Schools in Fulton County. She is an active member of a Baptist church in her community.[citation needed]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Representative Mesha Mainor". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
2. ^ Lee, Maggie (2022-10-10). "Mesha Mainor". Atlanta Civic Circle. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
3. ^ Catts, Everett. Nine candidates contending for District 3 Atlanta City Council seat, Marietta Daily Journal, March 11, 2019.
4. ^ Amy, Jeff (July 11, 2023). "Georgia Democrat Mesha Mainor, at odds with her party, switches to Republicans". AP News.
5. ^ Murphy, Patricia; Bluestein, Greg; Mitchell, Tia. "The Jolt: Democrats threaten primary against centrist Atlanta lawmaker". Political Insider (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution). Retrieved July 19, 2023.
6. ^ Baruchman, Michelle (November 6, 2024). "Republicans hold on to most of the competitive seats in Georgia Legislature". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

## External links

[edit]

* www.MeshaMainor.com Campaign webpage

* v
* t
* e

Members of the Georgia House of Representatives

158th General Assembly (2025–present)

Speaker of the House
Jon G. Burns (R)
Majority leader
Chuck Efstration (R)
Minority leader
Carolyn Hugley (D)

1. ▌Mike Cameron (R)
2. ▌Steve Tarvin (R)
3. ▌Mitchell Horner (R)
4. ▌Kasey Carpenter (R)
5. ▌Matt Barton (R)
6. ▌Jason Ridley (R)
7. ▌Johnny Chastain (R)
8. ▌Stan Gunter (R)
9. ▌Will Wade (R)
10. ▌Victor Anderson (R)
11. ▌Rick Jasperse (R)
12. ▌Eddie Lumsden (R)
13. ▌Katie Dempsey (R)
14. ▌Mitchell Scoggins (R)
15. ▌Matthew Gambill (R)
16. ▌Trey Kelley (R)
17. ▌Martin Momtahan (R)
18. ▌Tyler Smith (R)
19. ▌Joseph Gullett (R)
20. ▌Charlice Byrd (R)
21. ▌Brad Thomas (R)
22. ▌Jordan Ridley (R)
23. ▌Mandi Ballinger (R)
24. ▌Carter Barrett (R)
25. ▌Todd Jones (R)
26. ▌Lauren McDonald (R)
27. ▌Lee Hawkins (R)
28. ▌Brent Cox (R)
29. ▌Matt Dubnik (R)
30. ▌Derrick McCollum (R)
31. ▌Emory Dunahoo (R)
32. ▌Chris Erwin (R)
33. ▌Alan Powell (R)
34. ▌Devan Seabaugh (R)
35. ▌Lisa Campbell (D)
36. ▌Ginny Ehrhart (R)
37. ▌Mary Frances Williams (D)
38. ▌David Wilkerson (D)
39. ▌Terry Cummings (D)
40. ▌Kimberly New (R)
41. ▌Michael Smith (D)
42. ▌Gabriel Sanchez (D)
43. ▌Solomon Adesanya (D)
44. ▌Don Parsons (R)
45. ▌Sharon Cooper (R)
46. ▌John Carson (R)
47. ▌Jan Jones (R)
48. ▌Scott Hilton (R)
49. ▌Chuck Martin (R)
50. ▌Michelle Au (D)
51. ▌Esther Panitch (D)
52. ▌Shea Roberts (D)
53. ▌Deborah Silcox (R)
54. ▌Betsy Holland (D)
55. ▌Inga Willis (D)
56. ▌Bryce Berry (D)
57. ▌Stacey Evans (D)
58. ▌Park Cannon (D)
59. ▌Phil Olaleye (D)
60. ▌Sheila Jones (D)
61. ▌Mekyah McQueen (D)
62. ▌Tanya F. Miller (D)
63. ▌Kim Schofield (D)
64. ▌Sylvia Wayfer Baker (D)
65. ▌Robert Dawson (D)
66. ▌Kimberly Alexander (D)
67. ▌Lydia Glaize (D)
68. ▌Derrick Jackson (D)
69. ▌Debra Bazemore (D)
70. ▌Lynn Smith (R)
71. ▌Justin Howard (R)
72. ▌David Huddleston (R)
73. ▌Josh Bonner (R)
74. ▌Robert Flournoy (D)
75. ▌Eric Bell II (D)
76. ▌Sandra Scott (D)
77. ▌Rhonda Burnough (D)
78. ▌Demetrius Douglas (D)
79. ▌Yasmin Neal (D)
80. ▌Long Tran (D)
81. ▌Noelle Kahaian (R)
82. ▌Karen Mathiak (R)
83. ▌Karen Lupton (D)
84. ▌Mary Margaret Oliver (D)
85. ▌Karla Drenner (D)
86. ▌Imani Barnes (D)
87. ▌Viola Davis (D)
88. ▌Billy Mitchell (D)
89. ▌Omari Crawford (D)
90. ▌Saira Draper (D)
91. ▌Angela Moore (D)
92. ▌Rhonda Taylor (D)
93. ▌Doreen Carter (D)
94. ▌Karen Bennett (D)
95. ▌Dar'shun Kendrick (D)
96. ▌Arlene Beckles (D)
97. ▌Ruwa Romman (D)
98. ▌Marvin Lim (D)
99. ▌Matt Reeves (R)
100. ▌David Clark (R)
101. ▌Scott Holcomb (D)
102. ▌Gabe Okoye (D)
103. ▌Soo Hong (R)
104. ▌Chuck Efstration (R)
105. ▌Sandy Donatucci (R)
106. ▌Shelly Hutchinson (D)
107. ▌Sam Park (D)
108. ▌Jasmine Clark (D)
109. ▌Dewey McClain (D)
110. ▌Segun Adeyina (D)
111. ▌Reynaldo Martinez (R)
112. ▌Bruce Williamson (R)
113. ▌Sharon Henderson (D)
114. ▌Tim Fleming (R)
115. ▌Regina Lewis-Ward (D)
116. ▌El-Mahdi Holly (D)
117. ▌Mary Ann Santos (D)
118. ▌Clint Crowe (R)
119. ▌Holt Persinger (R)
120. ▌Houston Gaines (R)
121. ▌Marcus Wiedower (R)
122. ▌Spencer Frye (D)
123. ▌Rob Leverett (R)
124. ▌Trey Rhodes (R)
125. ▌Gary Richardson (R)
126. ▌L.C. Myles (D)
127. ▌Mark Newton (R)
128. ▌Mack Jackson (D)
129. ▌Karlton Howard (D)
130. ▌Lynn Gladney (D)
131. ▌Rob Clifton (R)
132. ▌Brian Prince (D)
133. ▌Danny Mathis (R)
134. ▌Robert Dickey (R)
135. ▌Beth Camp (R)
136. ▌David Jenkins (R)
137. ▌Debbie Buckner (D)
138. ▌Vance Smith (R)
139. ▌Carmen Rice (R)
140. ▌Teddy Reese (D)
141. ▌Carolyn Hugley (D)
142. ▌Miriam Paris (D)
143. ▌Anissa Jones (D)
144. ▌Dale Washburn (R)
145. ▌Tangie Herring (D)
146. ▌Shaw Blackmon (R)
147. ▌Bethany Ballard (R)
148. ▌Noel Williams Jr. (R)
149. ▌Floyd Griffin (D)
150. ▌Patty Marie Stinson (D)
151. ▌Mike Cheokas (R)
152. ▌Bill Yearta (R)
153. ▌David Sampson (D)
154. ▌Gerald Greene (R)
155. ▌Matt Hatchett (R)
156. ▌Leesa Hagan (R)
157. ▌Bill Werkheiser (R)
158. ▌Butch Parrish (R)
159. ▌Jon G. Burns (R)
160. ▌Lehman Franklin (R)
161. ▌Bill Hitchens (R)
162. ▌Carl Gilliard (D)
163. ▌Anne Allen Westbrook (D)
164. ▌Ron Stephens (R)
165. ▌Edna Jackson (D)
166. ▌Jesse Petrea (R)
167. ▌Buddy DeLoach (R)
168. ▌Al Williams (D)
169. ▌Angie O'Steen (R)
170. ▌Jaclyn Ford (R)
171. ▌Joe Campbell (R)
172. ▌Charles Cannon (R)
173. ▌Darlene Taylor (R)
174. ▌John Corbett (R)
175. ▌John LaHood (R)
176. ▌James Burchett (R)
177. ▌Dexter Sharper (D)
178. ▌Steven Meeks (R)
179. ▌Rick Townsend (R)
180. ▌Steven Sainz (R)

* ▌Republican (100)
* ▌Democratic (80)
* as of 13 January 2025[update]

* Georgia General Assembly
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* List of past legislatures

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