Transitioning Socialist Candidate Seeks to Transform Georgia Legislature

A newly transitioning candidate who posted on social media about his genital surgery wants to bring change to the Georgia Legislature—but some state officials think it’s the wrong kind of change. 

Aaron Baker, a biological man who identifies as a woman, announced his candidacy for state House in November after previously posting about gender-transition surgeries online.

While the move has generated lots of interest in the Peach State, some Georgia politicians are questioning Baker’s newfound celebrity. 

“Unfortunately, we’ve glorified people who glorified themselves,” U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., told The Daily Signal. “Is he really serving the people or himself?”

McCormick added that “people love celebrities now,” and that Baker is “trying to make himself a celebrity.”

“Be careful about what you wish for,” McCormick continued. 

McCormick said that Baker, who reportedly is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is using his growing popularity to try to bring socialist ideas to the Legislature. 

Baker, a trans activist and software engineer for The Coca-Cola Co., said during his campaign launch that he supports a living wage, a policy often backed by democratic socialists.

“We’re running on a living wage for all, because a Georgia where workers don’t have to live paycheck to paycheck is possible,” Baker said during his campaign launch. 

“After years of the Georgia Legislature ignoring the real affordability crisis people are facing, they have instead chosen to pass anti-immigrant, anti-DEI, and anti-trans legislation to scapegoat people like me. But we are fighting back,” Baker added.

Baker looks to unseat incumbent state Rep. Esther Panitch, D-Sandy Springs, in the primary election in May. This could set the stage for Baker to become the first openly transgender person elected to the Georgia General Assembly. 

Baker is not the only transitioning biological male running for state office, however. Robin McCoy, who met with voters in February to announce a candidacy, is running in State Senate District 5.

“I think it’s really important to engage the LGBTQ+ community as a whole for events like this,” McCoy told Georgia Voice, “especially considering the fact that our representation, when we win, would be representation for the whole state, not just for our districts.”

Neither Baker nor McCoy replied to The Daily Signal’s request for comment.