ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Republicans are settling two congressional nominations in Tuesday’s runoff, with a former Donald Trump aide bidding for an open seat and a man convicted of illegally demonstrating at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, while running in another district.
Meanwhile, Democrats will choose their candidate to take on Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in the November general election, while the two parties will also choose nominees in eight legislative elections in which no one won a majority in the May 21 primary.
Turnout will likely be low, and some congressional candidates could be chosen by a small portion of voters, especially in the 2nd and 14th Districts.
Here is an overview of the races:
2nd arrondissement
Republican Chuck Hand made headlines when he left a televised debate. Hand is vying with Wayne Johnson to challenge incumbent Democratic Rep. Sanford Bishop in the 2nd Congressional District, which spans southwestern Georgia and extends to Columbus and Macon.
Johnson won nearly 45% of the vote in the May 21 four-way primary, to almost 32% for Hand
Hand is one of at least four people convicted of Jan. 6 insurrection crimes who ran for Congress this year as Republicans. He was sentenced to 20 days in jail and six months’ probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor.
Both Hand and Johnson agree on the essential challenge: the Republican candidate must find new Republican voters after Bishop won 55% in 2022.
Hand, a building inspector who lives in rural Butler, has said he is leading a labor movement to improve economic conditions in one of the poorest parts of Georgia. He wants to rally black and white workers under Trump’s banner. But Hand declined to discuss many issues facing Congress.
“I don’t need the ‘This is what I would do’ game. We are not there yet,” Hand told reporters after leaving the debate. “In order to do anything, we first have to beat Sanford Bishop.”
Johnson has said Hand is not qualified. As a U.S. Department of Education official under Trump, he says he is better suited to attract some of the Democrats who have long supported Bishop, who are largely Black.
“Hand is weak and superficial on substantive issues that matter to voters, but he is a master of blunders and bravado,” Johnson said.
Michael Nixon, who came third in May with 19%, endorsed Johnson and criticized previous criminal charges against Hand that had been dismissed, as well as a previous conviction of Hand’s wife for illegally selling oxycodone.
3rd District
Republican Brian Jack has argued that 3rd District voters should “elect someone President Trump trusts as an ally of America First.”
His opponent, former Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan, has argued that Jack’s status as a Washington insider is a liability, saying voters prefer his “Georgian values” instead.
The winner will be the favorite to succeed Republican Rep. Drew Ferguson, who is stepping down after four terms.
Jack, 36, a native of Peachtree City, worked on Trump’s 2016 campaign and served as White House political director for four years. He later worked for then-Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy.
The experience earned him support from Trump and a fundraising campaign from top Republicans.
Dugan, a 60-year-old contractor and retired Army officer, touts his experience as a decision maker and coalition builder. He has attacked Jack as a “DC insider.”
The 3rd District includes some of Atlanta’s southern and western suburbs, running south to Columbus, with Republicans typically winning about two-thirds of the vote.
Democrat Maura Keller is waiting for the Republican candidate in November.
Jack won almost 47% of the vote in May and was the leading vote-getter in 14 of the 15 provinces. Dugan got almost 25%, with his home state of Carroll.
Third and fourth place both went to Jack.
Other breeds
The Democrats vying to challenge Greene in the 14th District are Clarence Blalock, a 2021 candidate for Atlanta City Council, and Shawn Harris, a retired Army general and farmer. Blalock barely led Harris in the four-way primary. The winner faces an uphill battle in a heavily Republican district.
The nominees for eight state legislative seats will be settled in the runoff. Republican incumbent Steven Sainz is trying to hold on to his seat in House District 180 in Camden and Glynn counties against challenger Glenn Cook.
