Democrats swept a pair of statewide races to win two seats on the Public Service Commission Tuesday, sending a message across the state that heading into 2026, Georgia is purple.
Democrat Alicia Johnson defeated Republican PSC Commissioner Tim Echols for the District 3 seat, while fellow Dem Peter Hubbard will succeed Commissioner Fitz Johnson in District 4. The two Democrats will be the newest members on the five-member PSC board, joining three Republicans on the regulating body that oversees the state’s public utilities, most notably Georgia Power.
Turnout was light on election day, as it was throughout early voting, not surprising in an “odd-year” election caused by lawsuits and delays over elections challenges. Democrats took a roughly 80,000-vote lead into election day, buoyed by the municipal elections in mostly-blue parts of the Atlanta metro, a lead that proved more than enough to blunt an election day comeback bid by Republican voters. The result was a surprise to many – the margin even more so (the Dems were up more than 20 points as this is written) – and Georgia Democratic leaders are crowing after their first non-federal statewide wins since 2006.
“We are officially putting Georgia Republicans on notice,” said Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Charlie Bailey. “Today, we beat them by running an expansive organizing and paid media program throughout our entire state, and we will continue to out-organize and out-strategize them to take power back for the working people of Georgia.”
Due to the odd nature election schedule, Hubbard will find himself back on the ballot next year, while Johnson will serve a five-year term. Fitz Johnson has already pledged his intention to run again next year.
There was also a full slate of municipal races on the ballot Tuesday, nearly 120 in total across 47 cities in the sprawling, 29 county Atlanta metro area.
Some highlights:
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens faced only token opposition, easily cruising to a second term in the big chair in City Hall in a race called barely an hour after the polls closed in the state’s capital city.
The race to watch there was for Atlanta City Council president, where two-term Councilwoman Mari Collier Overstreet, a close Dickens ally, defeated far-left nonprofit founder Rohit Malhotra by a slim margin. Overstreet’s victory marks a win for the Atlanta Democrat establishment, staving off a surge from the party’s left wing a la new New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Dickens solidifies his grasp over City Hall and carries a united front into the start of his second term.
The city of Marietta may have seen the closest race of the night, with Mayor Steve “Thunder” Tumlin leading 24-year old Democrat Sam Foster by fewer than 100 votes as of midnight. It will likely see an automatic recount.
Meanwhile longtime Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul will head to a runoff in his latest re-election bid. He fell just short of the 50%+1 needed to win his race outright, and will face off against Democrat Dontaye Carter in December.
Roswell saw a hotly contested race as well, with three candidates splitting the vote and forcing a runoff. Incumbent Mayor Kurt Wilson advanced and will face Mary Robichaux next month.
JMO will have much more on these results and what they mean for next year’s midterms later this week.
