Caitlyn Gegen: Fighting for Women.

This is a transcript of Caitlyn Gegen's speach given to the Northeast GA Federation of Democratic Women in July 2026. Learn more about Caitlyn and her campaign at CaitlynForGeorgia.com

Good afternoon. Thank you so much for inviting me today. I see a lot of familiar faces, but for those of you I haven’t yet had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Caitlyn Gegen, and I am running to be your representative for Georgia’s 9th Congressional District. In Congress, I am going to fight to expand access to affordable living, protect human rights, support small businesses, and advocate for universal healthcare.

I’m running for Congress because this is the moment that future generations are going to ask us about. We are living in a pivotal moment for our democracy. Our voting rights are being stripped away, the Trump administration is coming for women’s rights, and ICE is terrorizing our communities. The corrupt politicians who are in power solely for their own gain keep trying to rig the system, and we can not let them. 

In the face of this threat, we are seeing a movement of working class people all across the country stand up and say that this is not the future we want. Our democracy is under attack, but we will not let it be taken from us.

The Dobbs Decision tried to take away our right to our bodies, but we’ve seen 11 states pass legislation to protect that right. In June, the Supreme Court refused to listen to Trump’s ludicrous claims trying to overturn the E Jean Carroll verdict.  

"My opponent is working to make our democracy less representative and take away our rights."

The decisions he makes every day hurt families in Georgia’s 9th District, because he is prioritizing his pocketbook at the expense of our community. While we struggle to afford rent, gas, and groceries, my opponent continues to make deals between his business and the federal government that end with more money in his pocket. 

The burden of the cost of living also falls disproportionately on women. UN Women describes this function as “shock absorbing.” Because women tend to be responsible for preparing their family’s food, they have to come up with cheaper ways to prepare meals. They may have to increase their unpaid labor or care hours.  

My background is in community organizing and local government. As a constituent services officer, I worked with residents who were coming to the local government, often on the worst day of their lives, to determine what the government could do to help them. The work was extremely fulfilling, but what it showed me, and what I continue to see in my work as a barista, is that we cannot address the challenges facing our society on the individual level. We have to address them at the systemic level. People are not struggling to afford rent or worried about filling up their gas tank because of decisions that they, individually, made. They’re experiencing this stress because this administration has launched us into an unnecessary war that none of us asked for, and it is causing the price of gas and groceries to sky rocket. In Congress, I will work to help people afford their gas and groceries by fighting to increase and expand our food stamps program. 

People are not struggling to afford rent or worried about filling up their gas tank because of decisions that they, individually, made. They’re experiencing this stress because this administration has launched us into an unnecessary war that none of us asked for, and it is causing the price of gas and groceries to sky rocket.

Georgia needs a representative in Congress who will hold the president and his entire administration accountable, and who will fight for working families. That’s why I’m committed to fighting to increase the minimum wage, increase affordable housing, and provide Medicare for All. I am fighting for the hard working Georgians who wake up every day, do their best, and deserve affordable living. I’m fighting for people like my parents, who were public school teachers, and should be paid livable salaries and not have to live paycheck to paycheck. And I’m fighting for the women my sister sees as a labor and delivery nurse at a high-risk pregnancy clinic, who are having to travel out of state to get the care that they need. Every woman should have the right to their own body, and I am committed to protecting that right. 

I will be the first woman to represent Georgia’s 9th Congressional District, and that’s important, because women actually legislate differently than men. Women are more likely to win legislative victories, and they, statistically, bring more money back home to their districts. 

The fight for women’s rights has been going on since our country was founded. In a letter Abigail Adams wrote to her husband while he was helping draft the constitution, she asked him to remember the women and create a government that respected women’s rights. We have been fighting for that equality since it was denied to us. 

In the fight for women’s rights, it’s also imperative that we take an intersectional approach, and understand that we are not equal until EVERY person is equal. The 19th Amendment guaranteed women the right to vote, but it wasn’t until the Voting Rights Act passed in 1965 that ALL women were able to vote. It’s only in the last 60 years we had that right guaranteed. The SAVE Act is now threatening that right, because it will make it harder for women who changed their names to vote. 

In a letter she wrote for Ms Magazine following her testimony at Clarence Thomas’s hearing, Anita Hill wrote “How do we capture our rage and turn it into positive energy? Through the power of women working together, whether it be in the political arena, or in the context of a lawsuit, or in community service.”

In this moment, with our rights under threat, we have to unite and fight for the future we want. That means showing up, in whatever way that looks like to you: going to community sign wavings or volunteering with the coordinated campaign, or donating to a cause you really believe in. In November, it’s going to mean showing up and bringing our friends and family with us to vote. This is our chance to vote for the change we want to see. 

Our democracy has survived threats before, but only because of people like us uniting and demanding a better future. I know that we can do it again, and I am so excited to work alongside you. If you would like to learn more about my campaign, please check out my website at caitlynforgeorgia.com. We are always accepting new volunteers, and you can donate through the link on the webpage. This is a people-powered campaign; we are not accepting corporate PAC money. Any amount that you contribute will be greatly appreciated. 

My name is Caitlyn Gegen, and I am running for Congress so that we can build a better Georgia, together. Thank you.