State Sen. Nabilah Parkes, a Duluth Democrat, has resigned from the state Senate to focus on her recently announced run for lieutenant governor. She is stepping down from her office to focus solely on her new role. Parkes cited frustration with Republican leadership and stated that she could best serve the people of Georgia by focusing on her other duties. Her main Democratic opponent, state Sen. Josh McLaurin, criticized her decision, calling it a political move that undermines trust with voters. The race for Georgia’s next governor has heated up as Democratic candidates for governor face off in a forum, with former state senator Jason Esteves accusing former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan of making Georgia less safe by supporting legislation that legalized carrying firearms without a permit. The state legislative races also remain unsettled and are heading to their own runoffs.