Immigrants transform Gwinnett

[ecstatic]

By BRIAN FEAGANS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/15/06

Some call it "Korean Uptown." Others have nicknamed it "GwiMexico." But new figures released today make one thing clear: Gwinnett County has emerged as Georgia's largest immigrant hub.

Roughly one out of every four of the county's 719,398 residents is foreign-born...
"The thing about Gwinnett is the speed at which this has occurred," said Douglas Bachtel, a demographer at the University of Georgia. "To use a demographic term, 'it ain't gonna stop.'"

Georgia ranks fourth nationally in immigrant growth so far this decade (38 percent)...

Cobb County's immigrant population has shot up 45 percent since 2000 to 102,037. The number of foreign-born residents in Fulton has grown 31 percent to 103,360. The number of immigrants in Gwinnett, meanwhile, has soared 72 percent to 171,477.

Affordable housing, plentiful jobs and a welcoming business environment have made Gwinnett a top U.S. destination for immigrants, Bachtel said. And the trend is likely to continue...

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/0815metcensus.html

requires registration

[burythehatchet]

1. INteresting thing is that Gwinnett and Cobb are two

of the most right wing counties.

[RebelOne]

2. No, I'd say Cherokee where I live is the

top right wing county. Every county office is filled with Republicans. There are absolutely no Democrats.

[CottonBear]

3. Oconee County is 100% Republican as well but didn't used to be.

A number of years ago, the very last elected Democrat (a woman) was strong armed by the white, male Rethuglicans who threatened to run her out of office unless she switched parties. She became a Republican.

[CristobalColon]

4. I don't believe this

[CottonBear]

5. Why? It's true. I am in this very county every day and know the politics

I can assure you that there are no Democrats in any county elected office in Oconee County. A few years ago, most everyone was a Democrat (an old style conservative Democrat but a Democrat nontheless.) Then, GOP became more powerful in GA and voila! All GOP in Oconee County! The last Democratic county commission chair was Wendell Dawson (sort of a mini-Boss Hog in a country lawyer's suit.) He is now out of office and I presume he's a Republican now like all the rest.

I have met most all of the elected officials here. (I don't live in the county.) Even my Democratic friends who live in Oconee have to vote in the Republican primaries in order to vote for county officials. The candidates are elected in the primary because there are no opponents from other parties in the general elections. It is so Red here that I've met Gov. Perdue here twice and he's been here at least four times in four years.

I was told about the last Democrat by an municipal elected official in a town in the county.

edit: By the way, you need to back up your statement with facts or personal experience. Thanks in advance.