Two Republican Primaries Advance To Runoffs In Key Swing State

Georgia Republican Primaries Advance to Runoffs for Governor and Senate Nominations

Georgia voters narrowed several primary contests on Tuesday, advancing six candidates in two statewide races expected to draw national attention in the 2026 midterms. Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones and businessman Rick Jackson will compete in a Republican runoff for the nomination for governor. On the Democratic side, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms secured the nomination to succeed term-limited Republican Governor Brian Kemp. In the Senate race, Republican Representative Mike Collins and former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley advanced to a runoff to face incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff.

Georgia has functioned as a competitive state in recent federal elections, prompting both parties to allocate substantial resources to the November contests. Jones, who has served as lieutenant governor, received an endorsement from President Donald Trump during the primary. His record includes support for tax reductions, additional education funding, and measures favoring law enforcement agencies. Jackson, a healthcare executive, contributed more than $83 million from personal funds to his campaign, exceeding expenditures by other Republican candidates. He emphasized government accountability and reductions in state spending.

The Republican runoff will determine the nominee who faces Bottoms in the general election. Bottoms, who completed her term as Atlanta mayor in 2022, later served as a senior adviser in the Biden administration. Her campaign focused on expanded healthcare access, abortion rights, and increased funding for social programs. Major Democratic donors and party organizations provided support for her bid. This marks her first campaign for statewide office.

During her mayoral tenure, Bottoms managed city operations through the COVID-19 pandemic and the period following the death of George Floyd in 2020. She directed changes that removed cash bail requirements for selected offenses and limited police pursuits in misdemeanor cases. Bottoms has publicly criticized Trump on multiple occasions.

On the Senate side, the Republican primary runoff will select the challenger to Ossoff, who won his seat in the January 2021 runoff election that gave Democrats a Senate majority at the time. Collins, a member of Congress and owner of a trucking business, campaigned on border security priorities, economic expansion, and reversal of certain policies from the Biden administration. Dooley entered the race citing dissatisfaction with congressional procedures and constituent services. The outcome will set the Republican nominee for the November matchup against Ossoff in a state that has seen closely contested Senate races in recent cycles.

Both parties have indicated plans to direct significant financial and organizational resources toward the governor and Senate contests, consistent with Georgia’s status as a state where margins in statewide elections have remained narrow. The runoffs are scheduled under Georgia election law for a later date this year.