Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Set as Democratic Nominee for Georgia Governor
Georgia also held primaries for Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and more statewide executive offices.
The Democratic and Republican primaries occurred today in Georgia to select candidates for the November 2026 general election. This post covers the races for statewide executive offices in the Peach State. That includes contests for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Agriculture Commissioner, Insurance Commissioner, Labor Commissioner, and Superintendent of Schools as well as two seats on the Public Service Commission. Separate posts will be covering the primaries for federal races, both chambers of the state legislature, and county contests. Meanwhile, general elections for three seats on the Georgia Supreme Court also occurred today.
In Georgia, a candidate needs to achieve a 50%+1 majority in the primary to receive their party’s nomination. If that doesn’t happen, then the top two finishers will advance to a runoff scheduled for June 16, 2026.
The general election for all of these statewide executive offices will be held on November 3, 2026.
Governor:
Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Democratic primary with 56.2% (607,517) against former State Senator Jason Esteves with 18.7% (201,688), former DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond with 12.9% (139,669), former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan with 7.0% (75,673), State Representative Derrick Jackson with 2.3% (25,020), accountant Amanda Duffy with 1.7% (18,800), and pastor Olujimi Brown with 1.1% (12,335). 1,080,702 votes counted.
Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones and healthcare executive Rick Jackson will advance in the Republican primary with 38.4% (358,108) and 32.5% (303,611) against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger with 15.0% (140,045), Attorney General Chris Carr with 11.8% (110,691), real estate executive Clark Dean with 0.8% (7,080), entrepreneur Gregg Kirkpatrick with 0.6% (5,566), Army National Guard member Ken Yasger with 0.5% (4,786), and software engineer Thomas Williams with 0.4% (3,879). 933,766 votes counted.
Lieutenant Governor:
State Senator Josh McLaurin and former State Senator Nabilah Parkes will advance in the Democratic primary with 41.4% (426,485) and 39.5% (406,846) against accountant Richard Wright with 19.1% (196,526). 1,029,857 votes counted.
Former State Senator John Kennedy and State Senator Greg Dolezal will advance in the Republican primary with 27.3% (242,647) and 23.1% (205,428) against State Senator Blake Tillery with 19.1% (169,681), State Representative David Clark with 15.8% (140,381), State Senator Steve Gooch with 11.7% (103,604), Marine veteran Brenda Nelson-Porter with 1.9% (17,170), and business owner Takosha Swan with 1.1% (10,084). 888,995 votes counted.
Attorney General:
State Representative Tanya Miller won the Democratic primary with 84.6% (879,533) against former State Representative Bob Trammell with 15.4% (160,743). 1,040,276 votes counted.
State Senator Brian Strickland won the Republican primary with 71.6% (608,465) against State Senator Bill Cowsert with 28.4% (241,344). 849,809 votes counted.
Secretary of State:
Former judge Penny Brown Reynolds and Fulton County Commissioner Dana Barrett will advance in the Democratic primary with 42.3% (434,894) and 35.2% (361,715) against business owner Cam Ashling with 12.3% (126,440) and voting rights advocate Adrian Consonery Jr. with 10.1% (104,061). 1,027,110 votes counted.
State Representative Tim Fleming and former State Representative Vernon Jones will advance in the Republican primary with 39.2% (334,000) and 27.3% (232,397) against business owner Kelvin King with 15.9% (135,777), former Chief Operating Officer Gabriel Sterling with 11.9% (101,725), and former state Libertarian Party chair Ted Metz with 5.6% (47,703). 851,602 votes counted.
Agriculture Commissioner:
Engineer Katherine Juhan-Arnold won the Democratic primary with 62.1% (627,605) against farmer Sedrick Rowe with 37.9% (382,844). 1,010,449 votes counted.
Incumbent Tyler Harper won the Republican primary.
Insurance Commissioner:
Perennial candidate Keisha Sean Waites and insurance agent Deandre Bernard Mathis will advance in the Democratic primary with 42.0% (427,850) and 19.8% (201,662) against political consultant Clarence Blalock with 17.8% (181,198), entrepreneur Ambuj Jain with 12.0% (122,330), and courier Thomas Dean with 8.4% (85,006). 1,018,046 votes counted.
Incumbent John King won the Republican primary.
Labor Commissioner:
Entrepreneur Nikki Porcher and paralegal Michelle Sanchez will advance in the Democratic primary with 30.8% (310,862) and 25.9% (261,186) against union leader Brett Hulme with 19.8% (199,967), attorney Christian Wise Smith with 13.5% (136,509), and former congressional staffer Jason Moon with 10.0% (101,346). 1,009,870 votes counted.
Incumbent Bárbara Rivera Holmes won the Republican primary.
Superintendent of Schools:
Educator Lydia Catalina Powell won the Democratic primary with 50.5% (511,251) against Hancock County superintendent Anton Anthony with 29.8% (301,887) and 2018 nominee Otha Thornton with 19.7% (199,642). 1,012,780 votes counted.
Incumbent Richard Woods and Candler County superintendent Bubba Longgrear will advance in the Republican primary with 49.9% (428,677) and 29.1% (250,150) against business executive Randell Trammell with 14.1% (121,025), former State Representative Mesha Mainor with 4.1% (35,040), business owner Nelva Lee with 2.9% (24,678). 859,570 votes counted.
Public Service Commission:
District 3:
Incumbent Peter Hubbard won the Democratic primary.
Former Commissioner Fitz Johnson won the Republican primary with 50.2% (389,636) against financier Brandon Martin with 49.8% (386,680). 776,316 votes counted.
District 5:
Business owner Shelia Edwards won the Democratic primary with 55.7% (556,831) against marketing official Angelia Pressley with 25.9% (259,315) and attorney Craig Cupid with 18.4% (183,833). 999,979 votes counted.
Engineer Josh Tolbert and business owner Bobby Mehan will advance in the Republican primary with 47.2% (366,703) and 31.1% (241,503) against attorney Carolyn Roddy with 21.8% (169,354). 777,560 votes counted.