What happens when national defense becomes just another casualty of progressive politics? In Cobb County, we’re dangerously close to finding out, thanks in part to the quiet but calculated actions of Democrat Socialist Rep. Gabriel Sanchez (HD-42).
Earlier this month, Sanchez lent his political weight to a focus group-style town hall event in the community of Fair Oaks, organized under the guise of “community research” into the U.S. military’s local impact. The event was part of a national campaign by left-wing academic institutions, most notably, Brown University’s Cost of War Project and the Carnegie Peace and Security Initiative.
Now, to be clear: Brown is arguably the most liberal ivy league university in America and Rep. Sanchez openly participated and helped legitimize Brown’s agenda, an agenda that is rapidly being recognized by some as a veiled attempt to gather political ammunition for closing down Dobbins Air Reserve Base. Sanchez even took to social media to invite his constituents to attend, offering $50 gift cards from the “research team”.
And make no mistake: that goal would be catastrophic for Cobb County, for Georgia, and for America.
Dobbins: A Fortress of Freedom and a Conservative Cornerstone
Before we unpack the politics, let’s remember what Dobbins means to this community, and to the nation.
Dobbins Air Reserve Base, along with its sister facilities tied to Lockheed Martin and Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), have been central to America’s defense infrastructure for generations. B-29 bombers built here helped end World War II. F-22 Raptors, manufactured just down the road, have played a critical role in deterring America’s greatest modern threats, including recent operations that likely prevented a catastrophic nuclear exchange in the Middle East.
These aircraft, built right here in Cobb County, have saved not only American lives but millions overseas. When Israel faced a barrage of threats from Iran, it was F-22s, launched in coordination with our allies, that helped intercept and neutralize the danger.
Without Dobbins, that capability could be diminished or gone entirely.
Closer to home, Dobbins supports thousands of jobs, drives local innovation, and fosters a community rooted in service, patriotism, and constitutional values. It is not just an economic engine, it is a cultural cornerstone, a line in the sand against the progressive encroachment of blue-state ideologies.
And that’s precisely why the Left wants it gone.
What’s Really Behind Sanchez’s Focus Group? Follow the Agenda
So, why would Gabriel Sanchez, a sitting state representative, team up with elite academic institutions and socialist think tanks to hold a focus group on whether the military is “too powerful” in Cobb County?
Because this wasn’t a neutral inquiry. This was a data-gathering operation with a leftist bent, carefully framed to produce the answers they want, answers that can be used to justify Dobbins’ inclusion in a future Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list.
Sponsored by Brown University’s Cost of War Project, the Carnegie Peace and Security Initiative, and other anti-military organizations, the event asked participants to weigh the “social impacts” of having a base nearby, all while downplaying the base’s massive contributions to national defense and local prosperity.
Sanchez, by appearing at and assisting with this event, gave it credibility. And while he wasn’t the host, his presence sent a clear message: he’s not standing with Dobbins, he’s standing with those who want it shut down.
But this isn’t the first time Sanchez has publically aligned against Dobbins and Lockeed citing “social impacts”, in an article published in July 2024 by the radical anti-military activist organization, Inkstick Media, Sanchez outlined his plans to engage the Fair Oaks community to rally against the base.
“Sanchez told Inkstick about other ways he plans to engage with Lockheed locally. He’s concerned about a residential area called Fair Oaks, a low-income census-designated region that includes trailer homes and that suffers from high noise from the aircraft taking off and landing from the Dobbins Air Reserve Base, which is next to Lockheed.“
But let’s not forget the consequences. If Dobbins is closed, Cobb County loses more than just a military base. We lose:
- Thousands of local jobs
- A bedrock of aerospace and defense innovation
- A stronghold of constitutional, conservative values
- One of the last red bastions in a county increasingly targeted by progressive planners and developers
And perhaps most dangerously, we would lose a key deterrent in America’s ability to project power and maintain peace globally.
Sanchez and the California Playbook: This Isn’t New
If you think this sounds far-fetched, look west.
California, once home to more than 50 military bases, has seen over 30 shuttered through BRAC, often under similarly vague justifications related to “community impact” or “economic redevelopment.” And what replaced them? Not jobs. Not prosperity. Just high-density housing, more crime, fewer jobs, and progressive government bloat.
This is the California playbook, and now it’s coming for Cobb.
Sanchez’s alignment with anti-military voices, even under the banner of “research”, fits neatly into that mold. Combine that with Cobb’s developer class drooling over Dobbins’ prime real estate, and the motives become clear: follow the money, follow the ideology, and follow the playbook.
Cobb Citizens Say: “Not on Our Watch”
Despite the Left’s soft language and academic spin, the good people of Cobb aren’t fooled. Many who attended the focus group event pushed back hard.
They pointed out, correctly, that the same F-22s built here likely prevented nuclear attacks in Israel and possible mass-casualty events on American soil.
They noted how defense spending is not only constitutional, but essential, unlike the bloated, inefficient social programs that the same institutions promote.
And they reminded everyone: without a strong military, none of our freedoms are secure.
One attendee, a woman who lived close to Fair Oaks, said her child loved to see the planes at Dobbins, especially the C-130J cargo planes. Which later inspired them to attend a military academy with hopes of becoming a pilot.
Another attendee stated beautifly “Don’t California our Dobbins, if Dobbins were BRAC’ed, that talented constitution-minded voices would leave Cobb, as they did in CA.”
“Without Dobbins, Cobb might become like once-beautiful CA with its now failed social experiments.”
Cobb County Is Not for Sale
From World War II bombers to today’s F-22 Raptors, Dobbins has been central to America’s defense, Cobb County’s prosperity, and the character of our community. Yet Socialist Rep. Gabriel Sanchez and his leftist academic allies would rather question its existence than defend its value in pursuit of their radical agenda. To do so now, as global threats multiply and the world grows more dangerous, is reckless.
Dobbins has always stood for strength, in war, in peace, and in the spirit of Cobb. And the people here are clear: we stand with Dobbins.
To Rep. Gabriel Sanchez, Brown University elites, anti-defense activists, and the developers drooling over Dobbins’ airstrip:
Cobb County is not for sale.
We will not trade jets for condos.
DON’T CALIFORNIA OUR DOBBINS.
Not now. Not ever.
