Georgia House Democrats nominate Columbus Rep. Carolyn Hugley for speaker

ATLANTA, Ga. (WTVM) - Georgia House Democrats on Thursday nominated state Rep. Carolyn Hugley of Columbus to be the next speaker of the Georgia House. The party captured a majority in the chamber for the first time in more than two decades.The announcement was made Thursday afternoon on the south steps of the State Capitol. If elected, Hugley would be the first Black woman elected speaker in the state’s history.The full House will vote on Hugley’s nomination when the new legislature is sworn in in January.Hugley on the nominationHugley said she is excited for the opportunity to bring change to Georgia and work across party lines to improve lives for all Georgians.“I am so excited about where we are in this moment,” Hugley said.She said her colleagues in the Georgia House Democratic Caucus elected her as the speaker nominee and that she will be presented to the full House in January.“It is a historic moment,” Hugley said.Hugley thanked the people of Columbus, particularly those who live