Early voting in the special runoff elections across Georgia has closed, and those who haven’t voted will go back to the polls Tuesday to decide Republican nominees in two Congressional seats, as well as nominees for several state legislative seats. While voters have their eyes on all seats, the race for the 3rd Congressional District is drawing the most attention.
The 3rd District race — an open seat with the retirement of U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson — is rooted in a Republican territory that voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential race. And the former President has endorsed longtime aide, Brian Jack, for the post. Jack finished just shy of the 50 percent mark in the Primary. He is going up against second-place finisher and former State Senator Mike Dugan.
Jack spent much of last week and this past weekend at rallies across the district where he was joined by Ohio U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson. Both Dugan and Jack are presenting themselves as the conservative choice. Jack is playing up his connection with Trump and the time he spent as Trump’s political director. Dugan is running on his experience as a State Senator, while trying to paint his opponent as a “D.C. insider.” The winner on Tuesday will face Democrat Maura Keller in November.
There is also a runoff for the Republican nominee for the 2nd Congressional District. The winner will face Democratic Rep. Sanford Bishop – a 16-term Congressman. The Republican race is between Wayne Johnson, who was the chief operating officer of the Office of Federal Student Aid in the U.S. Department of Education under Trump, and the top finisher in the primary. He’s running against Chuck Hand, who pleaded guilty in 2022, along with his wife, to a misdemeanor charge of illegally demonstrating in the U.S. Capitol during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Each was sentenced to 20 days in federal prison and six months of probation.
Eight legislative seats will be on the ballot Tuesday as well. One of the most watched by Republicans is the race between St. Marys Republican Rep. Steven Sainz and challenger Glenn Cook, the elected supervisor of Satilla River Soil and Water Conservation. Sainz, who represents District 180 on the Georgia Coast – narrowly avoided the runoff, falling just 39 votes shy of an outright win.
A Democratic runoff in Senate District 34 is also being watched closely. The district includes Clayton and Fayette counties and sees a battle between former state Rep. Valencia Stovall and retired U.S. Army Major Kenya Wicks. While Wicks is seeking her first term in public office, she previously worked as chief of staff for retiring Sen. Valencia Seay, who has endorsed Wicks to replace her after serving two decades in the Senate.
Stovall came close to avoiding a runoff in the Primary but has seen Democratic Party organizations endorsing her opponent in a primary runoff election. The winner will face Republican Andrew Honeycutt, a university administrator from Fayette County, in November.
Democrats have criticized Stovall for her support of GOP proposals when she was in the House.
Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler, a Stone Mountain Democrat, is stepping down after 26 years in the Legislature. DeKalb County attorney Randal Mangham and Gwinnett County registered nurse Iris Knight-Hamilton are set for a rematch Tuesday in the Democratic primary for District 55. The winner will face Republican Mary Williams Benefield.
A new member of the House will replace Evans Republican Rep. Jodi Lott, who announced last year that she would not seek reelection. The two candidates in the Republican runoff for District 131 are Rob Clifton, a commercial general contractor, and Paul Abbott, a retired educator.
