The southern state of Georgia is scheduled to hold its primary vote on Tuesday, drawing the battle lines ahead of the decisive US midterm elections in November.
One of the most closely watched races is the Republican race to choose a challenger to Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, who won in 2020 amid a rise in liberals in a state long dominated by conservatives.
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Also, the biggest issue will be the race to choose the Democratic gubernatorial candidate. Many in the party see the opening of the governor’s mansion this year as an opportunity for a generation to win the top job at the state level.
Meanwhile, issues of low prices, election management, and gerrymandering have come to the fore in primary elections. Here’s what you need to know:
Who is running for U.S. Senate?
Incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff ran unopposed in his party’s primary and is almost certain to be the candidate in the general election.
The Republican field is even more crowded. Five Republicans are vying to take on Ossoff, including two incumbent members of Congress, Buddy Carter and Mike Collins.
Both Carter and Collins have aligned themselves with Donald Trump in their messages, with the campaign largely focused on who will be the US president’s most loyal ally. Trump has not announced his support in the election campaign.
Collins has been at the forefront of fundraising and advocacy efforts, but continues to face an ethics investigation into allegations of misuse of Congressional funds.
Outgoing Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who has a more complicated relationship with Trump, endorsed college football coach Derek Dooley, who has presented himself as a more moderate alternative to Carter and Collins.
Rounding out the race are former U.S. Army General Jonathan McCollum and businessman John Coyne. If elected in November, McCollum will become the second Black Republican in the Senate.
Who is running for governor of Georgia?
Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former Atlanta mayor and staffer in President Joe Biden’s administration, is leading a crowded field of Democratic candidates in the gubernatorial race.
Lance Bottoms was seen as a bulwark against Trump during his time as Atlanta’s mayor, pushing back against the president’s false claims that the state’s 2020 election results were tainted by fraud.
Opponents in the Democratic primary include former DeKalb County Executive Michael Thurmond and former Republican and former Georgia lieutenant governor Jeff Duncan.
Both men bill themselves as more moderate than Lance Bottoms. Running as a progressive to her left is state Sen. Jason Estevez.
The current Republican governor, Kemp, faces term limits, so this race is a unique opportunity for Democrats to flip the general election. Georgia has not had a Democratic governor since 2003.
Running on the Republican side are billionaire Rick Jackson and President Trump-backed candidate Bert Jones, who is currently the state’s second-in-command.
Other potential candidates include Republican Brad Raffensperger, the state’s top elections official, who notoriously stood up to Trump after the 2020 vote, and Chris Carr, the state’s attorney general.
Why is the Georgia Senate primary important?
Democrats pulled off two upsets in Georgia’s 2020 Senate race.
Both of the state’s U.S. Senate seats were on the ballot that year following unexpected resignations. Ossoff won one vacant seat by defeating a Republican incumbent, and fellow Democrat Raphael Warnock won in a special election, flipping the other seat.
Their victory gave Democrats a temporary majority in the U.S. Senate. They also come during a period of major change in Georgia politics.
That same year, Biden defeated Trump in Georgia, the first time a Democratic presidential candidate won the state since 1992.
The election raises the possibility that Georgia, a state with a large black population and changing demographics, will become a solidly Democratic state. However, that notion was shattered in the 2024 presidential election, with Trump handily defeating Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris in the state.
This year’s midterm elections will be seen as an indicator of which direction the state’s political winds are blowing.
Democrats hope to wrest back the Senate majority from Republicans, and keeping Ossoff’s seat will be critical to achieving that goal.
Only one-third of the 100 senators will be up for re-election this year, with races generally favoring Republicans.
Republicans currently hold majorities in both the U.S. House and Senate. But if Democrats gain control of either chamber, it would likely change the final two years of President Trump’s term and constrain his policies.
What’s important about state-level races in Georgia?
Statewide races are important for several reasons.
Georgia was one of President Trump’s main targets for his claims that the 2020 presidential election was “stolen.” After the election, he famously urged election commissioner Raffensperger to “find” more votes in his favor.
Republican state officials pushed back at the time, but Trump’s claims, which are not supported by evidence, gained support from some in the state’s Republican Party.
The officials elected in this year’s midterm elections may have a significant impact on future election operations.
In addition to control of the governor’s office, other key state-level positions are on the ballot, including attorney general and secretary of state, none of which are expected to be run by incumbents.
Another important issue facing state-level candidates is the issue of partisan redistricting.
Outgoing Governor Kemp called a special session in June to redraw Georgia’s congressional maps for the 2028 elections, following a recent Supreme Court ruling watering down key provisions of the Voting Rights Act.
It would advance key priorities under the Trump administration. The president is urging Republicans across the country to redraw state legislative maps to improve the party’s chances of victory.
But critics warn that the process could be used to weaken the voting power of Black people in the state. The longevity of Georgia’s redistricting push may depend on the outcome of November’s midterm elections.
So Democrats are highlighting the issue as they push for more statewide positions and influence in state legislatures.
What are the polls saying?
In the Republican Senate primary, recent polls show Collins leading with about 22%, followed by Carter with 12.5% and Dooley with 11%. If no candidate passes the 50 percent threshold, the race will head to a runoff on June 16.
The winner of the Republican primary will face incumbent Sen. Ossoff in November.
Meanwhile, both parties are holding primaries for the gubernatorial election. In the Democratic primary, Keisha Lance Bottoms’ approval rating averaged in the low 40s. This puts her well ahead of her closest party rival, Mr Salmond.
On the Republican side, billionaire Mr. Jackson leads in the polls, followed closely by Mr. Jones.
What other races are on the ballot?
Several other races are on the ballot this year.
All 14 of the state’s U.S. House seats are on the ballot. Georgia will also hold elections for the state Senate and House of Representatives, as well as for open statewide commission positions and open state and county court judgeships.
When does Georgia voting start and end?
Georgia residents have already cast their votes, with a record 1 million people participating in early voting.
On election day, votes will be accepted from 7am to 7pm local time (11am to 11pm GMT).
When will Georgia results be released?
The Associated Press will begin announcing election results after voting closes, after determining that no candidate has an alternative path to victory.
