Georgia is going to have hotly contested elections up and down the ballot this year, and it starts with the May 19 primary elections. The Democratic and Republican candidates who’ll officially appear on the ballot for races ranging from the governor’s office to the state legislature to Fulton County Commission have emerged, after qualifying on March 6.

Judicial races usually don’t draw challengers, but this year two Georgia Supreme Court justices as well as two Georgia Court of Appeals judges are facing opposition. The nonpartisan races will be decided May 19. Jurists on both courts serve six-year terms, and candidates must have practiced law for at least seven years. 

Here’s a rundown of the most competitive primaries for statewide and metro Atlanta contests:

US Senate

Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff is running unopposed in his party’s primary. 

However, he’s drawn five Republican challengers who’re seeking their party’s nomination: 

US House of Representatives, District 13

The Democratic primary for Congressional District 13, which Rep David Scott (D-Atlanta) has represented for 23 years, is shaping up as Atlanta’s most competitive congressional primary. Six upstarts are seeking to unseat the 10-term congressmember,who at age 80 is facing scrutiny over his mental acuity. The gerrymandered seat is a Democratic stronghold, with no Republican challengers.

Here are the Democrats running: 

Georgia Supreme Court

Three out of nine Georgia Supreme Court justices are up for re-election on May 19 in this nonpartisan race: Ben Land, Charlie Bethel, and Sarah Warren. Land is running unopposed, but Bethel and Warren are facing unexpected challengers. 

Georgia Court of Appeals

Five out of 15 Georgia Court of Appeals judges are up for reelection on May 19 in this nonpartisan race: Sara Doyle, D. Todd Markle, J. Wade Padgett, Elizabeth Gobeil, and E. Trenton Brown. Two of them, Brown and Gobeil, have attracted challengers. 

Governor

There were some last–minute shakeups to the Democratic slate, with seven candidates qualifying for the ballot. Relative unknown Amanda Duffy emerged, while Rep. Ruwa Romman (D-Duluth) dropped out to run for Senate District 7. That seat opened up when Sen. Nabilah Parkes (D-Duluth) announced she was running for insurance commissioner. However, Parkes made a last-minute switch and is now running in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor.

The Republican field of candidates is also crowded, with eight candidates vying to replace Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. Leland Olinger, who’d previously said he was running, ultimately did not qualify, but another hopeful, Tom Williams, did. Williams also ran for governor in 2022. 

Democrats: 

Republicans: 

Lieutenant Governor

For the Democrats, State Sen. Josh McLaurin (D-Sandy Springs) seemed on track to cruise to an easy nomination, but then Sen. Nabilah Parkes (D-Duluth) jumped into the race. Richard Wright, an accountant, is also running in the Democratic primary. 

The Republican field is far more crowded, with seven candidates vying to replace Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is running for governor: 

Labor Commissioner 

Incumbent Labor Commissioner Barbara Rivera Holmes, a Republican, is running unopposed in her primary.

There are five Democrats seeking their party’s nomination:

Secretary of State

Since incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, is running for governor, this is an open primary. 

Democrats:

Republicans:

Attorney General

The incumbent Republican, Attorney General Chris Carr, is also running for governor, so this is an open race. 

Democrats: 

Republicans: 

Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner

Republican incumbent John King is running unopposed. 

Five Democratic challengers are seeking their party’s nomination: 

State School Superintendent

Republican incumbent Richard Woods is facing multiple Republican primary opponents: 

Three Democrats are running for state school superintendent: 

Agriculture Commissioner

Republican incumbent Tyler Harper is running unopposed. 

Two Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination to run against him:

Public Service Commission (PSC)

Two PSC seats are up for election this year, which will determine the partisan balance of power on the five-member commission. 

PSC, District 3: This seat is currently held by Democrat Peter Hubbard. Republicans Fitz Johnson (who previously held the seat) and Brandon Martin are seeking their party’s nomination to challenge Hubbard. 

PSC, District 5 This seat is currently held by Republican Tricia Pridemore, but she isn’t seeking reelection. The open primary has attracted three candidates from either party. 

Democrats: 

Republicans: 

Georgia State Senate

Senate District 7

Sen. Nabilah Parkes (D-Duluth) is running for lieutenant governor, which opens up this safe Democratic seat for a competitive primary. No Republicans are running. 

Senate District 14 

This safe Democratic seat is open, because incumbent Sen. Josh McLaurin (D-Sandy Springs) is running for lieutenant governor. Three Democrats are running to fill it, with no Republican challengers.

Senate District 27 

This safe Republican seat is open, because Sen. Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming) is running for lieutenant governor. That makes for a competitive GOP primary. No Democrats are challenging.

Senate District 48 

The incumbent, Sen. Shawn Still (R-Suwanee), is unopposed in the GOP primary – but Democrats are hoping to flip this district in November. Still will face either Nathan Hombroek or Laura Murvatian as his Democratic opponent. 

Georgia House of Representatives

House District 51

The Democratic incumbent, Rep. Esther Panitch (D-Sandy Springs), is facing a primary challenge from the left by Aaron Baker. No Republicans are running.

House District 58

The Democratic incumbent, Rep. Park Cannon (D-Atlanta), decided not to seek reelection on short notice. That attracted four last-minute qualifiers for what is now a competitive Democratic primary for the deep blue seat: 

House District 62

This safe Democratic seat has opened up, since the incumbent, Rep. Tanya Miller (D-Atlanta), is running for attorney general. That has attracted four Democratic challengers. 

House District 75

The Democratic incumbent, Rep. Stacey Evans (D-Atlanta), is facing a primary challenge from Jeremiah Olney, who’s backed by the Democratic Socialists of America’s Atlanta chapter. No Republicans are running.

House District 90

The vacancy created by Democratic incumbent Rep. Saira Draper’s (D-Atlanta) move to a Senate race has set up a crowded Democratic primary for this safely blue seat. Draper is running for the Senate District 44 seat, also safely blue, after Sen. Elena Parent (D-Atlanta) unexpectedly announced March 5 that she’s not seeking reelection. 

Five Democrats qualified for the House District 90 primary. 

House District 97

Rep. Ruwa Romman (D-Duluth) is running for state senate, and two Democrats are seeking to replace her in this safe blue district: Jacques Laurent and Jyot Singh. 

House District 99

Democrats are hoping to flip this seat held by Republican Rep. Matt Reeves (R-Duluth) in November, but first they need to decide between Shelly Abraham and Michelle Kang in the primary. 

House District 100

Rep. David Clark (R-Buford) is running for lieutenant governor, opening up a Republican primary for this safely red seat between Josh Clark and Edwin Duncan. 

Fulton County Commission

Fulton Commission Chair

The Fulton County Commission’s longtime Democratic chair, Rob Pitts, has drawn primary opposition from two of his Democratic colleagues, District 5 Commissioner Marvin Arrington, Jr. and District 4 Commissioner Mo Ivory. 

Fulton Commission, District 3

Dana Barett, the current District 3 commissioner, is vying for the Democratic nomination for Secretary of State, opening up the primary for her seat to both parties. 

Democrats: 

Republicans: 

Fulton Commission, District 4

District 4 Commissioner Mo Ivory, a Democrat, is running for Fulton commission chair, forcing her to resign her seat. A special election has not yet been called, but we’ll be watching. 

Fulton Commission, District 5 

Democrat Marvin Arrington, Jr., the longtime District 5 commissioner, is running for Fulton commission chair, which opens up the Democratic primary for his seat. No Republicans are running.

Alessandro is an award-winning reporter who before calling Atlanta home worked in Cambodia and Florida. There he covered human rights, the environment, criminal justice as well as arts and culture.

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