Former Trump aide Brian Jack rode a wave of high-profile endorsements to victory in Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff in Georgia’s 3rd Congressional District, headlining a busy election day that included local and legislative races.
The battle between Jack and former state Senator Mike Dugan was the most-watched runoff election, as the winner would be heavily favored over Democrat Maura Keller in November. The seat opened up when U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson announced he wouldn’t be seeking re-election. Jack was propelled by the endorsement of his old boss and figures to be one of Trump’s closest allies if he, too heads to Washington in January. The primary saw relatively high turnout and markedly high support for Trump’s former director of political affairs, with Jack taking about 66% of the 33,000 votes cast.
Over in the 2nd District there was another Republican runoff that drew attention from politicos as Wayne Johnson, a former member of the Office of Federal Student Aid in the Trump Administration squared off with Chuck Hand, who was charged for entering the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 riots. The primary got nasty at times, with Hand storming out of a televised debate. But it is Johnson who will advance to the general election against 16-term Democratic Rep. Sanford Bishop, an uphill battle, albeit one where Republicans believe they have a chance to swing an upset since redistricting made it slightly more conservative.
Eight legislative seats were on the ballot Tuesday as well. Most notable of those was the Republican primary between incumbent state Rep. Steven Sainz and challenger Glenn Cook in coastal Georgia’s House District 180. Sainz, just 29, is seen as a rising star in the state GOP who serves as chairman of the Special Rules Committee. But he faced a surprisingly stiff primary challenge from Cook, being forced into a runoff and eventually prevailing Tuesday by only about 200 votes.
Senate District 55 lost a legend when Minority Leader Gloria Butler, D-Stone Mountain, announced her retirement after 26 years in the Legislature. DeKalb County attorney and former state Rep. Randal Mangham defeated Gwinnett County nurse Iris Knight-Hamilton Tuesday in the Democratic runoff, and will face Republican Mary Williams Benefield in November. Meanwhile RaShaun Kemp will succeed retiring state Sen. Horacena Tate in Atlanta’s SD 38, defeating former state Rep. Ralph Long III in his runoff.
There were also a smattering of countywide races, too many to fully name here. But chief among them was the Democratic runoff for DeKalb County CEO between former commissioners Larry Johnson and Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, running to replace the term-limited Michael L. Thurmond. Cochran-Johnson emerged victorious Tuesday and will become the first black woman to oversee DeKalb, one of the state’s largest and most diverse counties.
You can see full results on the Georgia Secretary of State’s website HERE
