GOP Spending Dominates Georgia Primary as Democrats Drive Record Turnout
Georgia's May 19 primary features contentious Republican races for Senate and an open governor's seat, the latter becoming the state's most expensive primary ever with over $100M in candidate self-funding. A record one million early voters cast ballots, with Democrats showing a 15-point turnout advantage. The elections also include two key state Supreme Court races and will be followed by a special session on redistricting.
Georgia primary election results
▪Georgia's primary elections on May 19, 2026, are defined by contentious Republican races and record Democratic turnout.
▪Many of the top races, including for governor and Senate, are expected to proceed to a June 16, 2026 runoff.
▪Republican Governor Brian Kemp is term-limited and cannot run for re-election, creating an open race for governor.
▪The Democratic gubernatorial primary includes candidates Keisha Lance Bottoms, Jason Esteves, and former Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan.
Republican Senate primary contest
▪Senator Jon Ossoff is considered the most vulnerable incumbent Democrat on the ballot in the 2026 fall elections.
▪Derek Dooley has the endorsement of Governor Brian Kemp in the Republican Senate primary.
▪The frontrunner in the Republican Senate primary is Rep. Mike Collins, with other candidates including Derek Dooley and Rep. Buddy Carter.
▪The Republican primary will determine who faces incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in the November election.
Republican gubernatorial primary race
▪Gubernatorial candidate Burt Jones, heir to a convenience store empire, has loaned his own campaign nearly $20 million.
▪In the Republican gubernatorial primary, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones has an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
▪Billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson entered the governor's race and has spent over $80 million of his own money.
▪The spending by self-funding candidates has made the 2026 gubernatorial primary the most expensive in Georgia's history.
Democratic turnout surge
▪In the November 2025 general election, two Democratic challengers won seats on Georgia's Public Service Commission.
▪A surge in Democratic turnout has also been observed in other 2026 midterm primaries in states like Texas, North Carolina, and Ohio.
▪Among early voters, 56.7% requested Democratic primary ballots, compared to 41.7% who requested Republican ballots.
Georgia Supreme Court races
▪Democratic challengers for the court seats include former state Senator Jen Jordan and attorney Miracle Rankin.
▪The Republican-appointed incumbents are Charlie Bethel and Sarah Warren.
▪Attention on the state court races increased after a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision weakened the Voting Rights Act.
Redistricting plans after primaries
▪The special session is intended to consider redrawing federal and state legislative maps for the 2028 election cycle.
▪Governor Brian Kemp announced that Georgia lawmakers will hold a special session starting June 17, 2026.
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