Georgia gubernatorial election, 2018 (May 22 Republican primary)

Elections in Georgia, 2018

• General election: Nov. 6
• Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
• Early voting: Oct. 15 - Nov. 2
• Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: No
• Voter ID: Photo ID required
• Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

---

On the ballot: U.S. House • Governor • Lt. Gov • Attorney General • Secretary of State • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Special state legislative • Supreme court • Appellate courts • Local judges • State ballot measures • School boards • Municipal • Democratic primaries • Republican primaries

2022 → ← 2014
Governor of Georgia
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 9, 2018
Primary: May 22, 2018 Primary runoff: July 24, 2018 (if needed) General: November 6, 2018 General runoff: December 4, 2018 (if needed) Pre-election incumbent(s): Nathan Deal (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Georgia
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up Sabato's Crystal Ball: Toss-up Inside Elections: Tilt Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2018 Impact of term limits in 2018 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Georgia executive elections
Governor Lieutenant governor Attorney general Secretary of state Agriculture commissioner Insurance commissioner Labor commissioner Superintendent of public instruction Public service commissioner

This page covers the May 22, 2018, Repubilican gubernatorial primary election in Georgia. Click here for coverage of the July 24, 2018, primary election runoff.

Lieutenant Gov. Casey Cagle and Secretary of State Brian Kemp advanced to a July 24 runoff for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Kemp won the runoff.

A crowded Republican field emerged in the race to replace term-limited Gov. Nathan Deal (R), who was first elected in 2010.

Cagle led in fundraising with nearly $7 million in contributions and led in every public poll through May 2018. He never polled higher than 50 percent, the vote percentage necessary to avoid a runoff.

Cagle scored national headlines by blocking a tax break for Delta Airlines in response to the company ending a discount program for National Rifle Association members after the Parkland school shooting. The NRA endorsed Cagle April 12.

Kemp and state Sen. Hunter Hill raised more than $2 million and alternated between second and third place in polling. Kemp touted his support for Donald Trump's agenda, particularly on immigration. Hill, who was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), emphasized his background as a U.S. Army Ranger and his support for abolishing the state income tax and loosening gun regulations.

State Sen. Michael Williams ran on a pro-Trump platform and put $1.5 million of his own money into the race. Businessman Clay Tippins raised more than $2 million and called himself the outsider candidate.

Following Cagle's blocking of the Delta tax break, the candidates made gun policy a central issue of the campaign, emphasizing it in campaign ads and attacking each other for past and current positions.

In addition to gun policy, the candidates discussed whether to abolish the state income tax, implement a state-level version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and expand medical marijuana access.

The winner of the July 24 Republican primary runoff faced former state Rep. Stacey Abrams (D) in the general election. The primary was May 22, and the general election was November 6, 2018.

Candidates and election results

Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp advanced to a runoff. They defeated Hunter Hill, Clay Tippins, and Michael Williams in the Republican primary for Governor of Georgia on May 22, 2018.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Georgia

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Casey Cagle	39.0	236,987
✔		Brian Kemp	25.5	155,189
		Hunter Hill	18.3	111,464
		Clay Tippins	12.2	74,182
		Michael Williams	4.9	29,619

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 607,441
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Eddie Hayes (R)
• Marc Alan Urbach (R)

Election updates

Endorsements

• May 16-18, 2018: Former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss and former U.S. Reps. Phil Gingrey, Jack Kingston, and Lynn Westmoreland endorsed Casey Cagle.
• May 7, 2018: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) endorsed Hunter Hill.
• April 13, 2018: Cobb County District Attorney Vic Reynolds endorsed Brian Kemp.

Campaign finance

• April 8, 2018: Campaign finance disclosures from the March 31 deadline showed Casey Cagle with $4,535,511 in cash on hand entering the final stretch of the campaign. He was followed by Brian Kemp ($1,631,521), Clay Tippins ($1,591,518), Michael Williams ($1,268,818), and Hunter Hill ($1,120,864).

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

• May 17, 2018: A survey from FOX 5 Atlanta and Opinion Savvy found Casey Cagle leading with 31 percent, Brian Kemp with 20 percent, Hunter Hill with 14 percent, Michael Williams with 5 percent, and Clay Tippins with 12 percent. Fourteen percent of voters were undecided.
• May 15, 2018: A survey from 11Alive and Survey USA found Casey Cagle leading with 35 percent, Brian Kemp with 17 percent, Hunter Hill with 10 percent, Michael Williams with 3 percent, and Clay Tippins with 8 percent. Twenty-seven percent of voters were undecided.
• April 26, 2018: A survey from the University of Georgia found Casey Cagle leading with 41 percent, Brian Kemp with 10 percent, Hunter Hill with 9 percent, Michael Williams with 3 percent, and Clay Tippins with 4 percent. Thirty-three percent of voters were undecided.

Top candidates

The candidates featured below raised at least $100,000 in 2017 and received endorsements and mentions in the media.

Casey Cagle (R)
Lieutenant governor

The lieutenant governor of Georgia since 2007, Lowell S. "Casey" Cagle ran for the state's top executive position by emphasizing what he considered to be his accomplishments as lieutenant governor, particularly in technical school and apprenticeship programs, and on pledges to decrease taxes by $100 million and create 500,000 jobs in Georgia.

Dr. Andra Gillespie of Emory University described Cagle as coming from the same wing of the Georgia Republican Party as outgoing Gov. Nathan Deal, who prioritized economic development and job creation. Gov. Deal endorsed Cagle after the May 22 primary.

He boosted his profile in February 2018 when he announced he would block a $40 million tax break for Delta Airlines after the company ended a discount program for members of the National Rifle Association in the aftermath of a school shooting that killed 17 people. "Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back," Cagle said when announcing his position. Delta, one of the largest employers in Georgia, did not reverse its position and the tax breaks were removed. The NRA endorsed Cagle on April 12.

Cagle began to run for governor in 2010 but dropped out citing health issues and ran for lieutenant governor again. He was first elected lieutenant governor in 2006 after he defeated Christian Coalition Director Ralph Reed in the Republican primary. Before that he served as a state senator from Gainesville, Georgia, having first been elected in 1994. Prior to his entry into politics, Cagle was a businessman in Gainesville. He attended Georgia Southern University on a football scholarship.

Hunter Hill (R)
Former state senator

A former state senator from northwest Atlanta, Hunter Hill ran for governor by emphasizing his background as a U.S. Army Ranger and his policy priorities of eliminating the state income tax, doubling the state's investment in transportation, and enacting school choice policies. He was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

Hill's campaign gained momentum early on when he won a series of Republican Party straw polls, including polls for the Cobb County GOP and the Georgia Republican Party. He finished third in campaign fundraising in 2017, taking in nearly $2.3 million in contributions. He was in a tight race with Secretary of State Brian Kemp for second place in most public polls, usually earning around 10 to 15 percent of the vote.

Hill was first elected as a state senator in 2012. He resigned after the 2017 legislative session in order to concentrate on his gubernatorial bid. Prior to his political career, Hill worked in commercial real estate and served as president of Tommy Newberry Coaching. He served a U.S. Army Ranger in the early- and mid-2000s, completing two tours of duty in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. He attended West Point Military Academy and received a B.S. in general management.

Brian Kemp (R)
Secretary of state

Georgia's secretary of state since 2010, Brian Kemp ran for governor by emphasizing his plans to invest resources in rural Georgia, his background in business, and his support for President Donald Trump's agenda, most notably his immigration policies. “This is Georgia,” he said when announcing his campaign. “We will be putting Georgia first.” He also said he would “treat rural Georgia the same way we treat metro Atlanta.”

After the May 22 primary, Kemp was endorsed by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence as well as former candidates Hunter Hill, Clay Tippins, and Michael Williams. Before May 22, Kemp was endorsed by Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens, state Rep. Susan Holmes, and former Libertarian presidential candidate Bobb Barr.

Before being elected as secretary of state in 2010, Kemp served in the Georgia State Senate from 2003 to 2007. He ran for state agriculture commissioner in 2006 and lost the Republican primary to Gary Black. His professional experience includes owning the Athens-based business Kemp Properties. Kemp graduated from the University of Georgia, where he earned a B.S. in agriculture.

Clay Tippins (R)
Businessman

A businessman and former Navy SEAL from the Atlanta area, Clay Tippins ran for governor saying he would make Georgia a "21st Century state." In a campaign advertisement that debuted during the 2018 Super Bowl, Tippins called for improving literacy rates in Georgia schools, combating sex trafficking in Atlanta, and updating the state government.

Tippins was the only Republican candidate who declined to pledge to sign legislation similar to the Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act that was debated in the state legislature in 2015 and 2016. While supporters said the bill would have prevented adverse state actions against persons practicing their religious beliefs, opponents said it could be used to discriminate against members of the LGBTQ community and would have negative effects on Georgia's economy and business climate, similar to the 2016 bathroom bill in North Carolina.

Tippins' campaign was supported by former RNC Chairman and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and state Rep. Allen Peake (R), who agreed with Tippins' proposal to expand the availability of medical marijuana. He finished fourth in fundraising in 2017, with $2.2 million in campaign contributions that included a loan of nearly $500,000. His performance in public polls ranged from 12 percent in February 2018 to three percent in March 2018.

Tippins served as a Navy SEAL from when he graduated college in 1995 to 2015, when he was deployed to Iraq. He also worked as an executive for the companies Capgemini and BrightStar Corporation. He attended Stanford University on a swimming scholarship.

Michael Williams (R)
State senator

A state senator from suburban Cumming, Georgia, Michael Williams ran for governor by aligning himself with President Donald Trump, emphasizing that he was the first elected official in Georgia to endorse Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign and was the co-chair of Trump's Georgia campaign. In addition to his support for Trump's policies opposing sanctuary jurisdictions and preserving Confederate monuments, Williams favored abolishing the state income tax and replacing it with a sales tax, increasing salaries for Georgia law enforcement officers, and expanding the availability of medical marijuana. In May 2018, he began a "Deportation Bus" tour which he said was supposed to raise awareness about unauthorized immigration into the country.

Williams' campaign was endorsed by former Trump advisor Roger Stone and Duane Chapman (AKA Dog the Bounty Hunter), who supports his law enforcement policies. Williams raised $1.7 million in 2017, which included $1.5 million in personal loans. He usually finished fifth in public polling for the race.

Williams was first elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2010 after he defeated state Sen. Jack Murphy, a longtime incumbent from the Cumming area, in the Republican primary. Prior to that, he was a businessman and a certified public accountant.

Candidates

See also: Statistics on gubernatorial candidates, 2018

---

See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2018 (May 22 Republican primary)

Note: Hayes and Urbach withdrew from the race, but still appeared on the primary ballot.

 Republican primary candidates

• Casey Cagle ✔
• Hunter Hill
• Brian Kemp ✔
• Clay Tippins
• Michael Williams

Did not make the ballot:

• Eddie Hayes
• Marc Alan Urbach

Political reaction to outcome of May 22 primary

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Only Cagle staked out positions with an eye toward the general election, thanks to a commanding lead in the polls that offered him more flexibility than his rivals. He entered the race with a pledge to cut taxes by $100 million – a more modest proposal than many rivals – and aired mostly sunny campaign ads touting the economy and workforce development initiatives. As some opponents took hard-line positions to his right, he rejected calls to eliminate more tax breaks, fund broad new pay increases for local law enforcement and adopt some social legislation.

Kemp is sure to sharpen his attacks. He’s angled for the same rural vote that powered Trump’s victory in Georgia, and he focused his final pitch on red-meat issues such as new crackdowns on illegal immigration and a tough-on-crime initiative aimed at gangs. But he also faces vulnerabilities over his business record and blunders he oversaw that include the accidental disclosure in 2015 of Social Security numbers and other private information of more than 6 million voters to media outlets and political parties."

• Greg Bluestein, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Secretary of State Brian Kemp might have earned a spot in the Republican runoff for governor without any of his attention-grabbing ads. After all, he had high name recognition, solid fundraising and a relentless attempt to out-conservative rivals. But a pair of provocative spots – and the roughly $1 million his campaign put behind them – appeared to help fuel his rise past former state Sen. Hunter Hill to a spot in a July 24 runoff against Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle. One featured him cleaning a shotgun next to “Jake,” a young suitor of his daughter who nervously shifted in his seat. The other featured explosions, guns, a chainsaw – and a boast that he has a big pickup truck “just in case I need to round up criminal illegals and take 'em home myself.”

He also had some help from Cagle, who decided in the late stages of the race he’d rather face Kemp than Hill – and focused his campaign’s machinery on attacking Hill’s record. There were shadowy campaign mailers labeling Hill a “convenient conservative” that came of uncertain origin, but that Cagle soon echoed in campaign trail rhetoric. And Cagle seemed to catch Hill off-guard with direct attacks at debates about his plan to eliminate the state income tax. Kemp, meanwhile, often sported a wide grin as the two traded barbs around him. But his world is about to heat up.

Cagle’s campaign figures he matches up more favorably against Kemp, who also has a long record in statewide office and a somewhat similar base of support. Neither can effectively claim to be a political outsider, unlike Hill – a military veteran who stepped down from the state Senate to wage his campaign. Expect Kemp to paint Cagle as a squishy conservative beholden to 'special interests.' That was his pitch on Tuesday night at his campaign party in an Athens hotel, when he said lobbyists showered him with millions of dollars.

'And still, the vast majorities of hardworking Georgians rejected Casey Cagle tonight and those who own him. Folks, he’s not a leader, he’s a puppet. And yeah, I just said that,' said Kemp. 'He is not fighting for us, but he’s fighting for those that have the deep pockets and whose interests are not ours.'

Cagle had a more positive message on Tuesday, and he didn’t overtly attack Kemp. But he’s likely to frame Kemp as an incompetent manager who oversaw embarrassing data breaches and disclosures that tarred the secretary of state’s office. Get ready for a long nine weeks."

Timeline

• May 16-18, 2018: Former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss and former U.S. Reps. Phil Gingrey, Jack Kingston, and Lynn Westmoreland endorsed Casey Cagle.
• May 17, 2018: A survey from FOX 5 Atlanta and Opinion Savvy found Casey Cagle leading with 31 percent, Brian Kemp with 20 percent, Hunter Hill with 14 percent, Michael Williams with 5 percent, and Clay Tippins with 12 percent. Fourteen percent of voters were undecided.
• May 15, 2018: A survey from 11Alive and Survey USA found Casey Cagle leading with 35 percent, Brian Kemp with 17 percent, Hunter Hill with 10 percent, Michael Williams with 3 percent, and Clay Tippins with 8 percent. Twenty-seven percent of voters were undecided.
• May 7, 2018: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) endorsed Hunter Hill.
• May 1, 2018: Marc Alan Urbach withdrew from the race and endorsed Michael Williams.
• April 26, 2018: A survey from the University of Georgia found Casey Cagle leading with 41 percent, Brian Kemp with 10 percent, Hunter Hill with 9 percent, Michael Williams with 3 percent, and Clay Tippins with 4 percent. Thirty-three percent of voters were undecided.
• April 27, 2018: Brian Kemp released his "Jake" campaign ad.
• April 19, 2018: Clay Tippins released his "Bang" campaign ad that opposed Casey Cagle and Hunter Hill as part of a $500,000 buy.
• April 13, 2018: Cobb County District Attorney Vic Reynolds endorsed Brian Kemp.
• April 13, 2018: Casey Cagle released his campaign ad "History." Watch the ad here.
• April 12, 2018: The National Rifle Association endorsed Casey Cagle.
• April 12, 2018: Georgia Realtors endorsed Casey Cagle.
• April 10, 2018: Educators First endorsed Casey Cagle.
• April 8, 2018: Campaign finance disclosures from the March 31 deadline showed Casey Cagle with $4,535,511 in cash on hand entering the final stretch of the campaign. He was followed by Brian Kemp ($1,631,521), Clay Tippins ($1,591,518), Michael Williams ($1,268,818), and Hunter Hill ($1,120,864).
• April 4, 2018: The Cagle campaign launched its next ad in the $4.4 million buy on April 4. "Difference" was set to be played in the Albany, Atlanta, Augusta, Chattanooga, Columbus, Jacksonville, Macon, Savannah, and Tallahassee media markets. Watch the ad here.
• March 21, 2018: Casey Cagle began airing a campaign ad expressing his opposition to unauthorized immigration and a tax break for Delta Airlines.
• March 9, 2018: A poll from Clarion Research that was paid for by Hunter Hill's campaign found that while a plurality of voters were undecided (36 percent), Casey Cagle led with 33 percent and was followed by Hill (17 percent), Brian Kemp (9 percent), Clay Tippins (3 percent), and Michael Williams (3 percent).
• March 8, 2018: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that former Mississippi Gov. and RNC chairman Haley Barbour was endorsing Clay Tippins and would hold a fundraiser for him.
• February 26, 2018: Casey Cagle announced that he would oppose a tax break for Delta Airlines, one of the state's largest employers, after it rescinded a discount program for members of the National Rifle Association following a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people.

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

Georgia Governor, Republican Primary 2018
Poll	Casey Cagle	Brian Kemp	Hunter Hill	Michael Williams	Clay Tippins	Undecided	Margin of error	Sample size
Fox 5 Atlanta/Opinion Savvy (May 15-16)	31%	20%	14%	5%	12%	15%	+/-4.3	515
11Alive/SurveyUSA (May 10-15)	35%	17%	10%	3%	8%	27%	+/-5.1	558
University of Georgia (April 19-26)	41%	10%	9%	3%	4%	33%	+/-4.4	507
Clarion Research (paid for by Hill campaign) (March 2-3)	33%	9%	17%	3%	3%	36%	+/-4.5	547
Meeting Street Research on behalf of the pro-Cagle Citizens for Georgia’s Future (March 1-4)	38%	10%	10%	2%	3%	35%	+/-4.38	500
Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy (February 2018)	27%	13%	11%	5%	12%	31%	+/-4.5	500
The Wickers Group (Ocotber 21-24, 2017)	34%	13%	1%	1%	0%	48%	+/-4.5	400
Landmark Communications/RosettaStone (October 16-17, 2017)	35%	7%	9%	4%	1%	44%	+/-3.5	800
McLaughlin & Associates (September 28 - October 1, 2017)	41%	12%	4%	3%	2%	39%	+/-4.0	600
AVERAGES	35%	12.33%	9.44%	3.22%	5%	34.22%	+/-4.35	547.44
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Endorsements

Know of an endorsement we missed? Please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Republican candidate endorsements
Endorsement	Date	Cagle	Hill	Kemp	Tippins	Williams
National figures
Former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.)	May 18, 2018	✔
Former U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.)	May 18, 2018	✔
Former U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.)	May 17, 2018	✔
Former U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.)	May 16, 2018	✔
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)	May 7, 2018		✔
Haley Barbour, former Mississippi governor and former RNC chairman	March 8, 2018				✔
Bob Barr, former U.S. representative from GA-07 and 2008 Libertarian presidential candidate	August 25, 2017			✔
State and local figures
Former candidate Marc Alan Urbach	May 2, 2018					✔
Cobby County District Attorney Vic Reynolds	April 13, 2018			✔
State Rep. Allen Peake (R)	March 8, 2018				✔
State Rep. Susan Holmes (R)	September 27, 2017			✔
Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens (R)	August 25, 2017			✔
State Rep. Ron Stephens (R)	August 1, 2017	✔
State Sen. Jesse Stone (R)	August 1, 2017	✔
State Sen. Ellis Black (R)	August 1, 2017	✔
State Sen. Jack Hill (R)	August 1, 2017	✔
State Sen. Ben Watson (R)	August 1, 2017	✔
State Rep. Dewayne Hill (R)	June 21, 2017	✔
State Rep. John Deffenbaugh (R)	June 21, 2017	✔
State Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R)	June 21, 2017	✔
State Sen. Jeff Mullis (R)	June 21, 2017	✔
State Rep. Sam Teasley	Unknown		✔
State Rep. Michael Caldwell	Unknown		✔
State Rep. Wes Cantrell	Unknown		✔
Organizations
Georgia Realtors	April 11, 2018	✔
National Rifle Association	April 12, 2018	✔
Educators First	April 10, 2018	✔
Media figures
Barbara Dooley, Athens media figure	August 25, 2017			✔
Roger Stone, former advisor to Donald Trump	August 11, 2017					✔
Duane Chapman AKA Dog the Bounty Hunter	July 4, 2017					✔
Business figures
Jim Brady, COO of Grant Thorton	September 28, 2017			✔

Campaign finance

Campaign finance reports
Candidate	Filing deadline	Contributions	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
Casey Cagle
	June 30, 2017	$2,659,061.92	$143,866.36	$2,515,195.56
	January 31, 2018	$4,111,046.90	$893,864.10	$5,732,378.36
	March 31, 2018	$20,206.50	$1,217,073.86	$4,535,511.00
Total	-	$6,790,315.32	$2,254,804.32	$4,535,511.00
Hunter Hill
	June 30, 2017	$1,148,529.59	$220,084.67	$928,444.92
	January 31, 2018	$1,110,632.05	$553,039.87	$1,486,037.10
	March 31, 2018	$442,891.90	$808,064.52	$1,120,864.48
Total	-	$2,702,053.54	$1,581,189.06	$1,120,864.48
Brian Kemp
	June 30, 2017	$1,710,592.00	$186,691.20	$1,523,900.80
	January 31, 2018	$1,174,546.48	$574,857.74	$2,123,589.54
	March 31, 2018	$34,970.26	$527,038.52	$1,631,521.28
Total	-	$2,920,108.74	$1,288,587.46	$1,631,521.28
Clay Tippins
	January 31, 2018	$2,139,341.28	$413,252.35	$1,726,088.93
	March 31, 2018	$405,177.00	$539,747.10	$1,591,518.83
Total	-	$2,544,518.28	$952,999.45	$1,591,518.83
Michael Williams
	June 30, 2017	$1,051,831.12	$107,806.65	$944,024.47
	January 31, 2018	$729,671.29	$330,948.55	$1,342,747.21
	March 31, 2018	$4,501.45	$78,430.43	$1,268,818.23
Total	-	$1,786,003.86	$517,185.63	$1,268,818.23

Satellite spending

• Citizens for Georgia's Future: This group had spent $1.2 million on campaign ads for Casey Cagle as of March 6, 2018, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In addition to the campaign ads, the group paid for a poll in March that showed Cagle's share of the vote rising after he led a movement to remove tax breaks for Delta Airlines. The company ended a discount program for members of the National Rifle Association in the aftermath of a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people.

Campaign strategies and tactics

2018 Delta tax legislation

After Delta Airlines announced that it would cancel a discount program for members of the National Rifle Association in the aftermath of a Feb. 14 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people, Lieutenant Gov. Casey Cagle (R) tweeted that he would oppose any tax legislation that benefitted Delta unless it reinstated the discount program. "Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back," Cagle said on February 26. Delta, one of the largest employers in Georgia and in control many of the terminals at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, did not reinstate the discount.

Cagle and members of the Republican-controlled Georgia State Senate later removed a $40 million sales tax exemption on jet fuel from a broader tax package that passed on March 1, 2018, and was signed into law by Gov. Nathan Deal (R). Deal said he opposed the removal of the Delta tax break and that he only signed the tax package because it contained other provisions he agreed with. He said, “We were not elected to give the late-night talk show hosts fodder for their monologues or to act with the type of immaturity that has caused so many in our society to have a cynical view of politics.”

Responses

• Casey Cagle: After Cagle led the movement to remove the tax reductions, an affiliated political committee, Citizens for Georgia's Future, released polling that showed him increasing his share of the primary vote from 31 percent to 38 percent, which was his highest showing in a poll up to that point.

• Hunter Hill: Hill posted on Facebook that he disagreed with Cagle's actions because he believed the tax break for Delta was poor public policy in the first place and that Cagle's use of legislation to punish a private corporation would harm what he called a "fair and predictable environment for ALL businesses."

• Brian Kemp: Kemp released a statement in support of ending the tax break for Delta (which he opposed in the first place) and saying that the state legislature should replace the tax break with a July 4 sales tax holiday that included the purchase of firearms and ammunition.

In April, Kemp wrote a letter to NRA chief executive Chris Cox saying that Delta would still receive a tax exemption from a separate mass transit bill passed by the General Assembly. “As those of us involved in Georgia politics like to say: You’ve been Casey Cagled,” he said. “He tells you one thing while cutting secret deals to help Delta down the line.” Cagle's campaign said that Delta could not benefit from the mass transit measure because it only applied to regional airports.

• Clay Tippins: Tippins said he opposed the Delta tax break in the first place and was supportive of removing it. He said, "We need to have a great pro-business environment here in Georgia, but it needs to be equal for all businesses--big, small. It can't be that companies that don't have a lobbyist, can't afford a lobbyist to come down here get a different outcome than businesses that do."

• Michael Williams: Williams said that he opposed the tax break for Delta before the NRA discount was revoked. He also told CNN that Delta provided a similar discount for Planned Parenthood, which CNN did not find evidence of.

Policies

Abortion

After Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) signed legislation in March 2018 banning most abortions earlier than 15 weeks, the candidates all released statements expressing support for the legislation and either touting their past record on abortion or laying out their preferred abortion policy.

• Casey Cagle said his "strong pro-life record speaks for itself" and said he had supported legislation making most abortions illegal after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

• Hunter Hill said he agreed with Bryant and, as governor, would sign "any bill that moves the protection of innocent life closer to conception."

• Brian Kemp said he would try to pass a law that was more strict than Mississippi bill. He said he would "sign the toughest abortion laws in the country as your next governor."

• Clay Tippins said the bill "reflects that science increasingly confirms what I have always believed: Life begins at conception."

• Michael Williams said he supported a heartbeat bill that would ban abortions at six to eight weeks if a heartbeat was detected.

Gun policy

In addition to the debate over Delta and the National Rifle Association, all of the candidates discussed gun policy and touted their support for loosening firearm restrictions in their campaigns.

Brian Kemp and Hunter Hill both spoke about their support for loosening or maintaining gun regulations in campaign ads.

Kemp put $1 million behind an ad showing him pointing a shotgun at a man he said wanted to date his daughter. It drew criticism from media outlets and commentators.

In response to the criticism of the ad, Kemp spokesman said, "Brian Kemp is a conservative. Get over it. He loves his daughters, values our 2nd Amendment rights, and will be an unapologetic fighter for our families as Georgia’s next governor."

Hill's ad (see it here) highlighted his support for constitutional carry and showed him at a firing range.

Following the release of the ad, the organization GeorgiaCarry came out against Hill, saying it did not accurately represent his positions on gun policy while serving in the state Senate. The organization highlighted Hill's opposition to legislation that expanded the areas that guns could be carried and public statements where he seemed to say that only individuals 21 and older should be allowed to purchase rifles. Hill said he misspoke and his statement meant that he wanted the age for purchasing handheld firearms to be lowered to 18.

Clay Tippins and Michael Williams both criticized Hill for his positions on guns, saying he only recently adopted them for electoral purposes.

Tippins ran a campaign ad that depicted Hill as Benedict Arnold, an American in the Revolutionary War who defected to the British. The ad said Hill had betrayed voters on gun policy.

Williams criticized Hill for his positions on gun policy, saying his "position on gun control is all over the place. One day Hunter claims to support Constitutional Carry and the next day he echoes Democrat Stacey Abrams’ call for gun control. His fake conservative campaign is becoming more obvious each day."

Constitutional carry

A constitutional carry weapons policy--which would allow gun owners to carry concealed firearms without a permit--was the main source of disagreement between the candidates.

• Casey Cagle said he opposed constitutional carry on April 23. He told 11 Alive News, "Georgia is in a very good position where our gun laws stand today” and did not need to expand its carry policies.

On April 28, Cagle's campaign released a statement that said he supported constitutional carry, but that the state needed a process for preventing felons and mentally ill persons from carrying weapons and an optional permit for Georigians traveling to other states.

• Hunter Hill supported constitutional carry and said the age for purchasing handguns should be lowered from 21 to 18.

• Brian Kemp did not say whether he supported constitutional carry according to the organization Georgia Gun Owners.

• Clay Tippins did not say whether he supported constitutional carry.

• Michael Williams supported constitutional carry.

Medical marijuana expansion

Clay Tippins and Michael Williams both criticized Casey Cagle for what they said was his opposition to the expansion of medical marijuana in the state. Their criticisms came after Cagle said he supported a study committee to look into how patients could safely access medical marijuana. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said that this indicated Cagle would not allow the state Senate to act on HB 764, which expanded the medical conditions for cannabis oil access to post-traumatic stress disorder and intractable pain.

Tippins and Williams appeared at a press conference on March 19, where Tippins said that Cagle had effectively killed HB 764. Williams, a supporter of in-state cultivation of medical marijuana, said that Cagle was "kicking the can down the road."

In a statement, Cagle said he had supported expanded access in the past and wanted to work with medical experts on making cannabis oil more readily available. He said, “Going forward, I’m committed to supporting responsible legislation that ensures Georgians who can benefit from this medication have safe, secure, and reliable access.”

Religious Freedom Restoration Act

All candidates except for Clay Tippins pledged to sign a state-level version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) into law. Opponents have claimed that a state-level RFRA could be used to discriminate against LGBTQ individuals. A state-level RFRA was passed by General Assembly in 2016 and vetoed by Gov. Deal, who cited potential effects on the state's business climate when rejecting the measure.

Tippins said he would not commit to signing a state-level RFRA without knowing the specifics of the proposal. He said, "I strongly support religious freedom but I won’t take the RFRA pledge. From what I can tell the two aren’t even related...I will not sign any pledge regarding future undrafted legislation – including the RFRA pledge – but promise to veto any bill that enables lawsuits against people of faith."

State income tax

As of March 2018, Georgia derived revenue through a tax on personal income. The candidates running for governor held differing opinions on whether Georgia should continue to tax incomes or eliminate the tax, as surrounding states like Florida and Tennessee had done, and levy taxes on consumption instead.

• Casey Cagle: After the Georgia General Assembly passed an income tax rate reduction in March 2018, Cagle said he would continue to cut personal income tax rates as governor. He did not call for abolishing the state's income tax.

• Hunter Hill: Hill said he supported abolishing the state income tax. His website says, "Eliminating the state income tax will drive our economy to create more jobs, attract more businesses, and leave more money in families’ pockets. Politicians in Georgia have been talking about doing this for 15 years! We will get it done."

• Brian Kemp: Kemp advocated for a spending cap on the state budget tied to inflation and population increases to control income tax rates. He said he would not abolish the state income tax and that, “I mean it’s a hard thing to do, taking a $12 billion item and cutting it down to zero.”

• Clay Tippins: Tippins said that eliminating the state income tax was not feasible but that it could be decreased to less than four percent.

• Michael Williams: Williams' campaign website says he supporting abolishing the state income tax and replacing it with a sales tax.

Campaign advertisements

Casey Cagle

The following campaign ads in support of Cagle were put out by the group Citizens for Georgia's Future:

"21st Century," released February 20, 2018

"Stop," released February 20, 2018

On March 21, Cagle's official campaign launched a $4.4 million TV ad buy by airing the campaign ad below.

"Cagle first TV ad," released March 21, 2018

The Cagle campaign launched its next ad in the $4.4 million buy on April 4. "Difference" was set to be played in the Albany, Atlanta, Augusta, Chattanooga, Columbus, Jacksonville, Macon, Savannah, and Tallahassee media markets. Watch the ad here.

Cagle released his campaign ad, "History," on April 13. Watch the ad here.

Cagle released his ads "Hand" and "Safe" on April 23.

Cagle released a television ad highlighting his opposition to sanctuary jurisdictions and unauthorized immigration on May 1.

Cagle released another television ad on May 15.

Hunter Hill

"Ready to Lead Again," released March 12, 2018

"Ready to Serve Again," released February 5, 2018

Brian Kemp

"So Conservative," released May 9, 2018

Kemp put $1 million behind his "Jake" ad, which drew criticism from media commentators. In response, Kemp said he would keep running the ad because "it’s driving the liberal media crazy" and "people love the ad. They know it’s funny."

"Jake," released April 27, 2018

"Track and Deport," released March 5, 2018

Clay Tippins

Tippins released "Air" on May 1.

"Air," released May 1, 2018

Tippins began running "Bang" in April 2018 as part of a $500,000 buy.

"Bang," released April 19, 2018

Tippins first aired "Georgia Clay" during the 2018 Super Bowl.

"Georgia Clay," released February 3, 2018

Campaign themes and policy stances

Casey Cagle

Cagle's campaign website stated the following:

“	Tax and regulatory reform As governor, I will lead on tax and regulatory reform. My first initiative as Governor will be to establish an economic development liaison that will work with companies large and small to streamline the permitting process for companies to get up and going quickly and create jobs. We will cut taxes by $100 million in the first 100 days of my administration. We will achieve this by increasing the personal exemption so, for a family of four, the first $12,000 of income will be tax exempt. In addition, we will increase the standard deduction. We will also tie both the personal exemption and the standard deduction to inflation to protect every Georgian against surprise increases that rob families at tax season. Jobs As governor, I will lead on jobs and will implement a three-part plan to create 500,000 new jobs in my first term. I will work with Georgia companies to ensure they have the tools they need to grow and expand. I will travel near and far to recruit new companies to Georgia from across the country and the world. And we will create an environment and recruit the capital to make Georgia the best place to start a new business—we will make Georgia the Silicon Valley of the South. Infrastructure As governor, I will lead on infrastructure. Georgia has had plenty of wake-up calls: collapsing bridges, buckling highways, and rural communities without high-speed connections for businesses and homes. I will implement a ten-year strategic infrastructure plan that identifies new corridors and infrastructure needs to achieve economic growth for Georgia. We will be committed to utilizing our assets in a more efficient way, which means more reversible lane projects in the state of Georgia. And we must be willing to build “over” and to dig “under” if that is what is required. We will create a rural broadband initiative that will expand access to high-speed internet. And I will be a governor committed to ensuring that our rural hospitals are sustainable and will create a network across the state that allows patients access to the care they need. Education As governor, I will continue to lead on developing a world-class education system. My most important mission as governor will be to ensure that Georgia has a workforce that is second to none. That begins by guaranteeing every child receives an education that allows them to compete and excel in the 21st Century economy. As governor, I will continue to focus on primary education, specifically targeting third grade reading. Children of that age must learn to read so that they learn as they progress through school. To accomplish that, we will implement greater technology at the primary school level to quickly diagnose and help kids with reading. I will also continue to expand three-year high school apprenticeship programs throughout the state, where education is being aligned with industry needs. Along with this, we will continue my “Move on When Ready” program and our dual enrollment programs in which students at the high school level are able to affordably earn college credits. Spending As governor, I will lead the fight to cut wasteful spending by maintaining a balanced budget, without raising taxes. This takes some belt tightening on the part of the government. However, if Georgia families can sit at the kitchen table and balance their checkbooks, then we should expect our state government to do the same. As our economy continues to improve, there will be those who want to create new programs without careful thought. The better choice is to be wise, prudent, and careful with taxpayer funds, ensuring our state rebuilds its rainy-day fund and continues to reduce the tax burden on our citizens. Gun policy As Governor, I will lead the protection of our right to keep and bear arms. I earned an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association by standing against those who would strip our Constitutional rights, and will continue to do so as Governor. I will always protect our hunting heritage and maintain that law-abiding citizens have the right to protect themselves and their families from those who wish to do harm. Abortion As Governor, I will lead in protecting the sanctity of life from conception forward. There is no task of government more important than defending innocent life and I am committed to giving the most vulnerable in our society the full protection of the law. We will continue to establish a culture of life in Georgia through pro-life policies that safeguard the unborn, infirm, and elderly. Last year I was honored to receive the Georgia Life Alliance "Champion for Life" award.	”
—Casey Cagle’s campaign website (2018)

Hunter Hill

Hill's campaign website stated the following:

“	GEORGIA NEEDS A FIGHTER TO PROTECT OUR FUNDAMENTAL CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS I took an oath to protect our Constitution from enemies both foreign and domestic, and I can guarantee that as Governor you will have no greater defender of your fundamental, God-given rights. First and foremost, as a Christian, combat veteran and a father, I have seen first hand how precious and fragile life is. I promise to sign any piece of legislation that further protects the lives of the unborn. Secondly, I know what it's like to be in harm's way. When I was overseas I didn’t just have a gun in my hand—I had one on my side. The Second Amendment is a recognition that the right to self-defense is a God-given right. It is also the right that protects all other rights, and you can rest assured I will always fight the liberal left and their anti-gun agenda. GOVERNMENT SPENDING ISN'T THE ANSWER We all want to help people, so let’s do it! The government has been spending billions of dollars attempting to lift people out of poverty for years, and it’s not working. It’s not working because poverty cannot be fixed with money alone. We have spent billions driving our citizens further into poverty and further away from the American dream, self-government, and personal responsibility. I will address this! We are going to stop pushing people to depend on the government to change their lives because simply put, it doesn’t work. It also pulls tax dollars away from initiatives in which taxpayers expect the government to deliver results. As Governor, I will lead on prioritizing education, public safety, and transportation in our state budget, and we will cut wasteful spending. Ministries, non-profits, families, and communities change lives for the better - not the government. ELIMINATING THE STATE INCOME TAX WILL TAKE TRUE CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP As Governor, I will lead on eliminating the state income tax. If Tennessee, Florida, and Texas can eliminate the income tax, then so can Georgia. Eliminating the state income tax will drive our economy to create more jobs, attract more businesses, and leave more money in families’ pockets. Politicians in Georgia have been talking about doing this for 15 years! We will get it done. WE CAN DOUBLE OUR INVESTMENT IN TRANSPORTATION, WITHOUT RAISING TAXES We cannot expect to bring new business to our state with crumbling infrastructure. Whether it's trucks delivering goods to the port, or a bus taking children to school, it is essential we provide our citizens with safe roads on which to travel. I believe we can double our investment into transportation without raising taxes. This will provide us the opportunity to strengthen our infrastructure all across Georgia and attract new jobs. NO SANCTUARY CITIES IN GEORGIA, PERIOD First and foremost, my priority as your Governor is keeping Georgians safe from harm. I stand with President Trump. I am opposed to sanctuary cities that harbor illegal immigrants from being deported. We will hold those who break our laws accountable. As Governor, if a city in Georgia decides to harbor illegal immigrants, they won’t receive a nickel of state funding. Caring for our Veterans ISN'T OPTIONAL Making Georgia the best state in the country for veterans is one of my top priorities. Veterans can - and should - thrive in their personal and professional lives when they leave the military. I believe big government is failing our veterans, and I believe non-profits, ministries, and businesses can make all the difference in enabling these men and women to build on their past to create their best future. Veterans offer a unique set of skills, experiences and leadership abilities developed and honed during their years in the military. These veterans are an extraordinary asset to the communities in which they live. Veterans need care, transition, then opportunity. I will lead on ensuring that those opportunities are in place for all Georgia veterans. EDUCATION: The Foundation for the Pursuit of Happiness Every child in Georgia has a constitutionally protected right to the best education we can provide. We can do better. We need to empower our parents to have greater input and control in how their children are educated. We need to stop micromanaging our teachers and free them to do what they do best - instill a love for learning. The decisions about the education of our students should be in the hands of local educators and families, not politicians. I strongly oppose “Common Core” and other examples of bureaucratic overreach. No child should be trapped in a failing school that undermines their future. I have led and will continue to lead efforts to provide more choices and opportunities for students who need it most. The Answer to Health Care IS FREE-MARKET PRINCIPLES No legislation in recent memory defies the principles of a free market economy more than Obamacare. Not only does it violate our conservative principles, but it has wreaked havoc upon the American family and small businesses by driving premiums through the roof. The Members of Congress who supported the legislation did so in direct opposition to the 10th Amendment. The only way to make healthcare more affordable and deliver better results for patients is to infuse free-market principles into the process and to allow each state to craft its own plan. AGRICuLTURE IS THE BACKBONE OF GEORGIA Challenges facing 21st-century farmers are important to every citizen of Georgia. Agriculture is Georgia’s number one industry. We all have a stake in the future of Georgia’s farmers and their farms. But years of excessive regulations have hurt farmers, their families, and our state. I will fight against crippling regulations from the EPA and federal overreach and always side with the hard-working farmers of Georgia. PROTECTING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IS ESSENTIAL. I have walked the streets of a country without religious freedom. If you ever do, I recommend you carry a weapon like I did. Nations that are unwilling to protect the religious liberties of their citizens will not protect the liberty of any form. Religious freedom is rightfully called our Nation's "First Freedom." The First Amendment of the U.S. Bill of Rights states the following: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Sadly, overreaching judges have eroded this foundational principle. I believe we must protect the religious liberties and the beliefs of all Georgians. I have fought for these protections in the State Senate, and I will stand and deliver as your Governor. Our First Responders Deserve Our Support As a Police Mentor Team leader in Afghanistan, I have seen the negative effects of having an unprofessional police force. Many times, citizens take for granted how professional and important our police officers, firefighters, and EMT’s are in our communities. As Governor, I’ll make public safety a priority and be sure they have the training, equipment, and funding they need to do their job.	”
—Hunter Hill’s campaign website (2018)

Brian Kemp

Kemp's campaign website stated the following:

“	Kemp's 4 Point Plan to Put Georgia First MAKE GEORGIA #1 FOR SMALL BUSINESS Take a chainsaw to ridiculous regulations and burdensome mandates Work with business people - not bureaucrats - to cut red tape and streamline state government Stand firm against healthcare reform that punishes small businesses REFORM STATE GOVERNMENT Implement State Spending Cap that Adjusts with Population and Inflation Determine ROI on state programs, tax incentives Eliminate wasteful programs, tax incentives, bureaucracy STRENGTHEN ALL OF GEORGIA Give rural communities the same opportunities as the rest of Georgia Bring high-speed Internet to rural Georgia Promote economic development and investment across the entire state Support farmers, agri-business, and small town start-ups PUT GEORGIA FIRST Defund sanctuary cities and campuses Stop taxpayer funded subsidies for illegal immigrants Protect our Georgia values Put the needs of hardworking Georgians ahead of special interests	”
—Brian Kemp’s campaign website (2018)

Clay Tippins

Tippins' campaign website stated the following:

“	SEX TRAFFICKING It’s a dirty little secret that Atlanta is the No. 1 city in the country for sex trafficking. This is a $300 million business in Atlanta alone. I have helped take down some of the worst networks of people in the world. I will roll up my sleeves, bring the same relentless mission focus, and work directly with law enforcement to hunt down these gangs and sex-trafficking rings and put them out of business for good. EVERY 3RD GRADER READS I have a bold vision: Every third grader reads. Third grade reading rates are the number one indicator of a child’s future success and how many folks we’ll have in prison in the future. It’s time we draw a line in the sand and lead. STATE SPENDING It’s time we start living within our means. Right now, the state of Georgia looks to be in pretty good shape on paper; but with the federal debt so large it’s like having a $20 bill in your left pocket and a $200 IOU in your right. Every Georgian owes $1 million dollars in government debt* on top of their credit card, car, and house. If we don’t start rethinking how we run our government, we won’t have the money we’ve had in previous years to fight crime, build roads, or educate our children. 2ND AMENDMENT I am an unabashed supporter of the Second Amendment. It is our constitutional right to keep and bear arms. I will defend that right as Governor. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS There is no place in Georgia for sanctuary cities and I will prevent them from receiving state funds. Our law enforcement agencies must collaborate with each other – not against each other – to fight illegal immigration. That process begins by stopping the release of illegals from county jails and sharing intelligence like I did to take down ISIS. CBD I’m against any step down a slippery slope towards recreational Marijuana but Georgia law already permits the use of cannabidiol (CBD) oil to assist patients who suffer from a variety of illnesses and diseases, including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and seizures. Patients should be able to access valid treatments that are already legal for use, especially those that have strong potential to combat the current opioid crisis in Georgia. RFRA I strongly support religious freedom, but I won’t take the RFRA pledge. From what I can tell the two aren’t even related. I will continue to fight for our religious liberty with the same fervor with which I defended our country as a Navy SEAL. I’m a Christian, a man of faith, and believe the government should not trample on our beliefs. I will not sign any pledge regarding future undrafted legislation – including the RFRA pledge – but promise to veto any bill that enables lawsuits against people of faith. PRO-LIFE I will be an ardent pro-life champion for Georgia. As governor, I will work to protect the lives of unborn children. OPIOID CRISIS Our state’s opioid problem must be dealt with immediately. In a state with 10 million people, there were over 541 million opium pills prescribed last year alone. Opioid addiction and the crime that result from it have touched the lives of Gun Rights: Constitutional Carry Ensure this important legislation is signed into law. This will further protect our second amendment rights. too many of us. Enough is enough.	”
—Clay Tippins' campaign website (2018)

Michael Williams

Williams' campaign website stated the following:

“	Return To Republican Principles Georgia has had a Republican Governor for almost 16 years with a Republican controlled House and Senate for over a decade. Yet we have not passed basic conservative legislation. We have yet to pass Tax Reform, School Choice legislation, Constitutional Carry, Spending Cuts, and many other bedrocks of the Republican Party. This will end under Governor Williams – more results, less talk. No excuses! The Georgia FairTax Eliminate the state income tax and replace it with state sales tax similar to what they have in Florida. Gun Rights: Constitutional Carry Ensure this important legislation is signed into law. This will further protect our second amendment rights. Term Limits Implement term limits for all statewide elected offices. Currently, the Governor is the only term limited office in the state. Our current Lt. Governor has held this office for 12-years. Religious Freedom Georgia has tried for several years to pass religious freedom legislation. Mr. Williams will bring all the stakeholders together in order to pass and sign this legislation into law. Power Of The Veto The ability to veto legislation is one of the most powerful options available to the Governor. Too often, vetoes have been used to block conservative legislation. Michael Williams will use the threat of veto to ensure liberal legislation is not pushed on Georgia citizens. If legislators do not pass a budget with spending reductions recommended by the Governor, it will be vetoed. 100% Pro-Life Protect innocent life from conception until natural death. No Sanctuary Cities Stop liberal cities from implementing this dangerous policy. Agriculture: Reduce Regulations Work with the Trump administration to reduce federal regulations that are burdening our farmers. We have a unique opportunity to see great improvements in this area. Law & Order: Law Enforcement Pay Raise Georgia law enforcement officers are some of the lowest paid in the nation. Mr. Williams teamed up with Duane “Dog The Bounty Hunter” Chapman to bring attention to his legislation to increase the minimum salary for all officers. As Governor, Michael Williams will ensure this becomes law. School Choice Grow our school voucher programs and provide additional ways to put parents in charge of their children’s education. Children born in communities with under performing schools should have options. This also increases competition among schools, ultimately improving the quality of education. Freeze College Tuition Rates Tuition rates at our state colleges have soared out of control for years. We are at an all-time high yet students are not receiving additional benefits. Improve Homeschooling Laws Allow home-schooled students access to school athletic programs and facilities. This has been successfully implemented in Florida and can be done here. Home-school parents pay the same school taxes as everyone else and should receive equal services. Get Serious About Illegal Immigration Implement the 287(g) Deportation Program statewide. Counties that refuse to comply will lose state funding. Without 287(g), we have no way of knowing when illegals are committing crimes and being sent back into our communities. If we are going to get serious about this problem, we need 287(g). Stone Mountain & Historical Monuments One of my Democrat opponents, Stacey Abrams, has called for the defacing of Stone Mountain and the removal of other confederate memorials and statues. What’s next? Blowing up the Jefferson Memorial or knocking down the Washington Monument? Where does this end? Democrats and the media love drumming up issues like this. It boosts ratings and stirs up racial divide. Let me make myself clear: I do not support defacing Stone Mountain or any of our monuments and I do not support rewriting Georgia’s history. All Georgians should reject attempts by the media and my Democrat opponent to incite racial division in this campaign. I will be a governor for all Georgians. It’s time to unite and heal as a nation. Medical Cannabis and In-State Cultivation The fight for medical cannabis oil expansion is extremely personal. My father was a Vietnam War veteran diagnosed with severe bipolar disorder, and would have likely also been diagnosed with PTSD in today’s world. Sadly, when I was 14-years-old, he took his own life. The pain of losing a father to suicide is unbearable. Today, 22 veterans with PTSD will commit suicide. Tomorrow, another 22. PTSD is one of many life threatening conditions that should be eligible for medical cannabis oil. Georgia’s medical marijuana laws are inadequate at best and criminal at worst. Federal law bars transportation of marijuana across state lines, yet Georgia law prohibits in-state cultivation and distribution. See the problem? Legalized in-state cultivation and distribution will ensure safe access for suffering patients. We need to get the government out of the doctor’s office. Medical experts agree that cannabis oil is life-saving and improves quality of life for those in need, yet politicians use it to further their own political agendas. It is time we put Georgians first and ignore squabbling lobbyists and special interest groups. We have a wide gap in our laws that I pledge to fill with common sense legislation. Georgia will have heavily regulated in-state cultivation and distribution of medical marijuana and an expanded list of eligible conditions when I am governor.	”
—Michael William's campaign website (2018)

Media coverage

Some of the race's media coverage focused on whether Casey Cagle would win the primary on May 22 or go to a runoff on July 24.

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution (March 21, 2018): "Public and private polling, in some cases surveys released by other campaigns, show Cagle hovering in the mid-30s to low 40s — and a tight race among the four other leading contenders for the second-place spot. But Cagle’s campaign could also angle for the knockout blow, unloading most of the nearly $7 million in his campaign coffers to aim for the majority vote he needs to avoid a runoff. An internal poll released by Hill showed Cagle within striking distance — at 48 percent — when factoring in undecided voters. Analysts and GOP operatives say that prospect is a long shot, particularly given that his top rivals each have seven-figure campaign bank accounts and spent months building support for their bids. But they also point to the unpredictable nature of runoffs.

They need look no further than Deal’s 2010 race. He finished a distant second to Karen Handel in a crowded Republican primary, but he narrowly edged her in the head-to-head runoff weeks later. 'Can (Cagle) do it? Possible, but not likely,' Kennesaw State University political scientist Kerwin Swint said. 'It’ll no doubt be a tall order with five major candidates in the field, all of whom have raised at least enough money to make a dent. But even if they go to a runoff, that investment in resources and grass roots could pay off at the end.'”

The barrage of attention Cagle received from his Delta stance and his escalating ad campaign may not have a lasting impact. Asked about the prospect of an outright win, veteran GOP strategist Jackie Gingrich Cushman ticked off the strengths of several of Cagle’s opponents. 'Remember that neither national media attention nor money necessarily translate into votes,' said Cushman, a GOP operative who invoked two recent Republican victories. 'If money was all that counted, we would have Jon Ossoff as a congressman and Hillary Clinton as president.'

The lieutenant governor was sanguine about his chances. 'We have a very carefully laid strategic plan and we are in activation mode. I look forward to carrying our message across the state and earning every vote I can,' he said. 'Mathematically, it’s very challenging, but when you are in position to press your advantage, it’s encouraging.'"

Past elections

2014

See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2014

Nathan Deal ran for re-election as governor of Georgia in the 2014 elections. Deal defeated David Pennington and John Barge in the 2014 Republican primary by a 55.4 percent margin.

Governor of Georgia, Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Nathan Deal Incumbent	72.1%	430,170
David Pennington	16.7%	99,548
John Barge	11.2%	66,500
Total Votes		596,218
Election results via Georgia Secretary of State Election Results.

2010

See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2010 and Gubernatorial elections, 2010

In the July 20 primary Deal came in second to Karen Handel, receiving 22.9 percent of the vote to her 34.1 percent. The two met in a runoff election held August 10, with Deal winning 50.2 percent to 49.8 percent.

Deal defeated Democrat Roy E. Barnes and Libertarian John H. Monds in the general election on November 2, 2010.

• General election

Governor of Georgia, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Roy E. Barnes	43%	1,107,011
	Republican	Nathan Deal	53%	1,365,832
	Libertarian	John H. Monds	4%	103,194
	NA	Write-in	0%	124
Total Votes				2,576,161

Race background

Heading into the election, the sitting governor was Nathan Deal (R), who was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. Deal was prevented by term limits from seeking re-election in 2018.

Heading into the election, Georgia was a Republican trifecta. It has held this status since 2005, when Republicans gained a majority in the Georgia House of Representatives. Georgia was also a Republican triplex.

Georgia was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Race ratings: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2018
Race tracker	Race ratings
	November 5, 2018	October 30, 2018	October 23, 2018	October 16, 2018
The Cook Political Report	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Tilt Republican	Tilt Republican	Tilt Republican	Tilt Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Georgia utilizes an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

In Georgia, polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Eastern Time. In cities with a population greater than 300,000 people, polls remain open until 8 p.m. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in Georgia, one must be a citizen of the United States and a legal resident of their county. The voter must be at least 17.5 years of age at the time of registration and 18 at the time of the election, and not serving a sentence for a felony conviction.

The deadline to register to vote is 29 days prior to the election. Registration can be completed online, in person, or by mail.

Automatic registration

In Georgia, eligible voters are automatically registered to vote when they conduct transactions at the Department of Driver Services. This automatic registration program began in 2016.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Georgia has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Georgia does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Georgia, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

A Georgia state law, passed in 2009, required voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. However, as of June 2025, the law had not been implemented.

In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot require proof of citizenship with federal registration forms. That meant states would need to create a separate registration system for state elections in order to require proof of citizenship.

In Georgia, an individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who provides false information on a voter registration application is guilty of a felony.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The site My Voter Page, run by the Georgia Secretary of State's office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Georgia requires voters to present photo identification while voting in person or by mail/absentee.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of August 2024. Click here for the Georgia Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

“

Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free ID card issued by your county registrar's office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services. A Georgia driver's license, even if expired Student ID from a Georgia public College or University Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state Valid U.S. passport ID Valid U.S. military photo ID containing a photograph of the voter Valid tribal photo ID containing a photograph of the voter

”

Voters can obtain a free voter ID card from any county registrar's office or Department of Driver Services Office. Click here for more information on obtaining a free voter ID card in Georgia.

Early voting

Georgia permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

All voters are eligible to vote absentee/by-mail in Georgia. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee. The ballot application deadline is 11 days before Election Day. A completed ballot must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Georgia heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

• Following the 2016 elections, Republicans held both U.S. Senate seats in Georgia.
• Republicans held 10 of 14 U.S. House seats in Georgia.

State executives

• As of September 2018, Republicans held 12 of 15 state executive positions, while three positions were held by nonpartisan officials.
• The governor of Georgia was Republican Nathan Deal. The state held an election for governor on November 6, 2018.

State legislature

• Republicans controlled both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly. They had a 114-64 majority in the state House and a 37-19 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

• Georgia was a Republican trifecta, meaning that the Republican Party controlled the state government. Nathan Deal (R) served as governor and Republicans controlled the state legislature.

2018 elections

See also: Georgia elections, 2018

Georgia held elections for the following positions in 2018:

• 14 U.S. House seats
• Governor
• Nine lower state executive positions
• 56 state Senate seats
• 180 state House seats
• Municipal elections in DeKalb and Fulton Counties

Demographics

Demographic data for Georgia
	Georgia	U.S.
Total population:	10,199,398	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	57,513	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	60.2%	73.6%
Black/African American:	30.9%	12.6%
Asian:	3.6%	5.1%
Native American:	0.3%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0%	0.2%
Two or more:	2.1%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	9.1%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	85.4%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	28.8%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$49,620	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	21.1%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Georgia. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2017, Georgia's three largest cities were Atlanta (pop. est. 470,000), Columbus (pop. est. 200,000), and Augusta (pop. est. 200,000).

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Georgia from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Georgia Secretary of State.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Georgia every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), Georgia 2000-2016
Year	First-place candidate	First-place candidate votes (%)	Second-place candidate	Second-place candidate votes (%)	Margin of victory (%)
2016	Donald Trump	51.1%	Hillary Clinton	45.9%	5.2%
2012	Mitt Romney	53.3%	Barack Obama	45.5%	7.8%
2008	John McCain	52.2%	Barack Obama	47.0%	5.2%
2004	George Bush	58.0%	John Kerry	41.4%	16.6%
2000	George Bush	55.0%	Al Gore	43.2%	11.8%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Georgia from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Georgia 2000-2016
Year	First-place candidate	First-place candidate votes (%)	Second-place candidate	Second-place candidate votes (%)	Margin of victory (%)
2016	Johnny Isakson	54.8%	Jim Barksdale	41.0%	13.8%
2014	David Perdue	52.9%	Michelle Nunn	45.2%	7.7%
2010	Johnny Isakson	58.3%	Mike Thurmond	39.0%	19.3%
2008	Saxby Chambliss	49.8%	Jim Martin	46.8%	3.0%
2004	Johnny Isakson	57.9%	Denise Majette	40.0%	17.9%
2002	Saxby Chambliss	52.8%	Max Cleland	45.9%	6.9%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Georgia.

Election results (Governor), Georgia 2000-2016
Year	First-place candidate	First-place candidate votes (%)	Second-place candidate	Second-place candidate votes (%)	Margin of victory (%)
2014	Nathan Deal	52.8%	Jason Carter	44.9%	7.9%
2010	Nathan Deal	53.0%	Roy Barnes	43.0%	10.0%
2006	Sonny Perdue	57.9%	Mark Taylor	38.2%	19.7%
2002	Sonny Perdue	51.4%	Roy Barnes	46.3%	5.1%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Georgia in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Georgia 2000-2016
Year	Republicans	Republicans (%)	Democrats	Democrats (%)	Balance of power
2016	10	71.4%	4	28.6%	R+6
2014	10	71.4%	4	28.6%	R+6
2012	9	64.3%	5	35.7%	R+4
2010	8	61.5%	5	38.5%	R+3
2008	7	53.8%	6	46.2%	R+1
2006	7	53.8%	6	46.2%	R+1
2004	7	53.8%	6	46.2%	R+1
2002	8	61.5%	5	38.5%	R+3
2000	8	72.7%	3	27.3%	R+5

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Georgia Party Control: 1992-2025
Eleven years of Democratic trifectas  •  Twenty-one years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Governor	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Senate	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Five of 159 Georgia counties—3.14 percent—are pivot counties. These are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 pivot counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County	Trump margin of victory in 2016	Obama margin of victory in 2012	Obama margin of victory in 2008
Baker County, Georgia	8.68%	0.57%	1.07%
Dooly County, Georgia	2.05%	6.98%	3.53%
Peach County, Georgia	2.91%	7.48%	6.75%
Quitman County, Georgia	10.92%	9.04%	7.90%
Twiggs County, Georgia	1.58%	8.64%	6.97%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Georgia with 50.8 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 45.6 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Georgia voted Democratic 63.33 percent of the time and Republican 36.67 percent of the time. Georgia voted Republican in every presidential election from 2000 to 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Georgia. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 64 out of 180 state House districts in Georgia with an average margin of victory of 45.5 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 74 out of 180 state House districts in Georgia with an average margin of victory of 42.3 points. Clinton won 14 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.

In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 116 out of 180 state House districts in Georgia with an average margin of victory of 36.6 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 106 out of 180 state House districts in Georgia with an average margin of victory of 36.8 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

2016 presidential results by state House district
District	Obama	Romney	2012 Margin	Clinton	Trump	2016 Margin	Party Control
1	24.59%	73.49%	R+48.9	18.33%	78.10%	R+59.8	R
2	22.14%	76.22%	R+54.1	15.51%	81.50%	R+66	R
3	23.05%	75.08%	R+52	18.64%	77.94%	R+59.3	R
4	32.11%	66.73%	R+34.6	33.09%	63.58%	R+30.5	R
5	20.99%	77.56%	R+56.6	17.38%	79.95%	R+62.6	R
6	22.66%	75.78%	R+53.1	19.28%	78.15%	R+58.9	R
7	18.83%	79.93%	R+61.1	16.26%	81.63%	R+65.4	R
8	19.75%	78.79%	R+59	17.01%	80.65%	R+63.6	R
9	15.29%	83.06%	R+67.8	14.76%	81.57%	R+66.8	R
10	16.34%	82.49%	R+66.1	14.77%	82.43%	R+67.7	R
11	17.74%	80.81%	R+63.1	14.12%	83.40%	R+69.3	R
12	25.59%	72.86%	R+47.3	20.35%	77.06%	R+56.7	R
13	35.70%	62.94%	R+27.2	33.39%	63.13%	R+29.7	R
14	20.15%	78.39%	R+58.2	17.29%	79.95%	R+62.7	R
15	26.96%	71.58%	R+44.6	24.54%	72.30%	R+47.8	R
16	23.79%	74.95%	R+51.2	18.10%	79.74%	R+61.6	R
17	23.36%	75.50%	R+52.1	23.02%	73.98%	R+51	R
18	29.93%	68.66%	R+38.7	26.14%	70.83%	R+44.7	R
19	29.46%	69.22%	R+39.8	31.16%	65.71%	R+34.6	R
20	23.09%	75.03%	R+51.9	26.37%	68.76%	R+42.4	R
21	19.48%	78.70%	R+59.2	22.00%	73.27%	R+51.3	R
22	16.80%	81.60%	R+64.8	21.44%	74.42%	R+53	R
23	20.52%	77.66%	R+57.1	22.07%	73.64%	R+51.6	R
24	17.81%	80.67%	R+62.9	21.56%	73.96%	R+52.4	R
25	21.70%	77.05%	R+55.3	32.10%	63.74%	R+31.6	R
26	14.56%	83.89%	R+69.3	18.43%	77.66%	R+59.2	R
27	15.62%	83.00%	R+67.4	16.26%	80.92%	R+64.7	R
28	17.56%	81.23%	R+63.7	15.37%	82.27%	R+66.9	R
29	31.73%	66.98%	R+35.3	32.94%	63.21%	R+30.3	R
30	21.69%	76.74%	R+55	24.56%	71.98%	R+47.4	R
31	16.84%	81.82%	R+65	15.76%	81.14%	R+65.4	R
32	24.07%	74.41%	R+50.3	19.58%	78.30%	R+58.7	R
33	31.40%	67.45%	R+36.1	26.87%	70.96%	R+44.1	R
34	33.92%	64.28%	R+30.4	39.66%	55.82%	R+16.2	R
35	38.10%	60.28%	R+22.2	42.81%	52.42%	R+9.6	R
36	24.38%	74.30%	R+49.9	29.80%	66.20%	R+36.4	R
37	43.83%	54.52%	R+10.7	48.89%	46.46%	D+2.4	R
38	60.41%	38.62%	D+21.8	64.07%	33.08%	D+31	D
39	75.10%	23.95%	D+51.1	78.09%	19.54%	D+58.5	D
40	45.00%	53.24%	R+8.2	54.52%	40.56%	D+14	R
41	62.15%	36.51%	D+25.6	64.86%	31.62%	D+33.2	D
42	68.42%	29.97%	D+38.4	68.61%	26.72%	D+41.9	D
43	38.77%	59.40%	R+20.6	46.47%	48.56%	R+2.1	R
44	33.75%	63.93%	R+30.2	39.79%	54.74%	R+14.9	R
45	30.98%	67.21%	R+36.2	41.50%	53.61%	R+12.1	R
46	27.84%	70.25%	R+42.4	34.24%	60.65%	R+26.4	R
47	28.08%	70.51%	R+42.4	38.02%	57.47%	R+19.4	R
48	37.71%	60.31%	R+22.6	45.85%	48.81%	R+3	R
49	34.61%	63.82%	R+29.2	44.57%	50.58%	R+6	R
50	35.98%	62.65%	R+26.7	47.45%	48.69%	R+1.2	R
51	41.99%	56.48%	R+14.5	50.15%	44.99%	D+5.2	R
52	36.77%	61.94%	R+25.2	49.71%	45.43%	D+4.3	R
53	73.52%	25.53%	D+48	77.16%	18.98%	D+58.2	D
54	40.58%	58.07%	R+17.5	54.55%	40.79%	D+13.8	R
55	83.91%	15.09%	D+68.8	84.84%	11.77%	D+73.1	D
56	87.70%	11.09%	D+76.6	87.74%	8.94%	D+78.8	D
57	82.83%	15.94%	D+66.9	85.62%	11.02%	D+74.6	D
58	87.26%	11.21%	D+76.1	88.49%	7.87%	D+80.6	D
59	87.41%	10.84%	D+76.6	87.27%	9.08%	D+78.2	D
60	88.96%	10.53%	D+78.4	90.79%	7.32%	D+83.5	D
61	82.95%	16.50%	D+66.5	82.57%	15.51%	D+67.1	D
62	81.40%	18.05%	D+63.4	82.69%	15.44%	D+67.3	D
63	71.58%	27.78%	D+43.8	73.97%	24.02%	D+49.9	D
64	69.30%	30.15%	D+39.1	70.36%	27.44%	D+42.9	D
65	80.57%	18.97%	D+61.6	81.08%	17.15%	D+63.9	D
66	53.46%	45.64%	D+7.8	56.72%	40.59%	D+16.1	D
67	31.46%	67.23%	R+35.8	31.50%	65.51%	R+34	R
68	27.70%	71.08%	R+43.4	26.14%	70.90%	R+44.8	R
69	25.45%	73.10%	R+47.7	23.33%	73.96%	R+50.6	R
70	31.26%	67.48%	R+36.2	31.56%	64.90%	R+33.3	R
71	21.50%	77.16%	R+55.7	22.29%	73.84%	R+51.5	R
72	22.11%	76.41%	R+54.3	25.46%	70.56%	R+45.1	R
73	34.83%	64.14%	R+29.3	37.99%	59.21%	R+21.2	R
74	86.99%	12.68%	D+74.3	86.51%	11.95%	D+74.6	D
75	83.95%	15.53%	D+68.4	83.71%	14.28%	D+69.4	D
76	80.47%	19.06%	D+61.4	80.34%	17.67%	D+62.7	D
77	90.59%	9.03%	D+81.6	89.32%	9.13%	D+80.2	D
78	75.77%	23.63%	D+52.1	77.40%	20.70%	D+56.7	D
79	41.91%	56.52%	R+14.6	52.42%	42.92%	D+9.5	R
80	42.54%	55.68%	R+13.1	54.21%	40.41%	D+13.8	R
81	51.71%	46.40%	D+5.3	59.53%	35.29%	D+24.2	D
82	61.00%	37.01%	D+24	71.24%	24.55%	D+46.7	D
83	86.80%	12.13%	D+74.7	88.45%	8.62%	D+79.8	D
84	86.06%	12.96%	D+73.1	88.43%	8.98%	D+79.5	D
85	85.47%	13.30%	D+72.2	86.00%	10.70%	D+75.3	D
86	77.13%	21.82%	D+55.3	79.72%	17.14%	D+62.6	D
87	83.03%	16.15%	D+66.9	83.50%	14.06%	D+69.4	D
88	77.84%	21.44%	D+56.4	79.10%	18.35%	D+60.8	D
89	89.42%	9.07%	D+80.3	90.41%	6.40%	D+84	D
90	76.41%	23.09%	D+53.3	76.26%	22.14%	D+54.1	D
91	71.58%	27.81%	D+43.8	73.80%	24.25%	D+49.5	D
92	81.39%	18.08%	D+63.3	81.15%	16.93%	D+64.2	D
93	76.70%	22.66%	D+54	78.87%	19.09%	D+59.8	D
94	79.72%	19.56%	D+60.2	80.73%	17.01%	D+63.7	D
95	42.53%	55.99%	R+13.5	49.81%	45.53%	D+4.3	R
96	56.53%	41.64%	D+14.9	61.84%	34.14%	D+27.7	D
97	32.15%	66.25%	R+34.1	41.38%	54.28%	R+12.9	R
98	30.33%	68.23%	R+37.9	34.80%	61.14%	R+26.3	R
99	71.34%	27.36%	D+44	74.04%	22.41%	D+51.6	D
100	75.08%	23.78%	D+51.3	76.18%	20.68%	D+55.5	D
101	47.33%	51.24%	R+3.9	54.22%	41.58%	D+12.6	D
102	38.64%	59.59%	R+20.9	45.67%	49.43%	R+3.8	R
103	22.68%	75.95%	R+53.3	26.93%	69.29%	R+42.4	R
104	30.82%	67.93%	R+37.1	40.21%	56.12%	R+15.9	R
105	50.77%	48.36%	D+2.4	52.14%	44.88%	D+7.3	R
106	42.29%	56.44%	R+14.1	49.74%	47.07%	D+2.7	R
107	45.20%	53.22%	R+8	53.78%	42.22%	D+11.6	R
108	38.64%	59.72%	R+21.1	48.10%	47.65%	D+0.5	R
109	38.25%	60.84%	R+22.6	43.64%	53.70%	R+10.1	R
110	38.67%	60.44%	R+21.8	38.94%	58.73%	R+19.8	R
111	49.19%	49.81%	R+0.6	50.02%	47.45%	D+2.6	R
112	30.34%	68.53%	R+38.2	28.46%	69.09%	R+40.6	R
113	70.01%	29.34%	D+40.7	70.93%	27.16%	D+43.8	D
114	24.42%	74.28%	R+49.9	27.08%	69.78%	R+42.7	R
115	25.05%	73.96%	R+48.9	21.86%	75.71%	R+53.8	R
116	22.38%	75.96%	R+53.6	21.50%	74.72%	R+53.2	R
117	43.85%	54.33%	R+10.5	46.06%	49.44%	R+3.4	D
118	70.03%	27.73%	D+42.3	72.30%	23.85%	D+48.4	D
119	39.17%	58.60%	R+19.4	43.90%	51.13%	R+7.2	D
120	37.24%	61.81%	R+24.6	35.23%	62.85%	R+27.6	R
121	34.55%	64.38%	R+29.8	33.78%	63.33%	R+29.6	R
122	25.27%	73.58%	R+48.3	27.39%	68.99%	R+41.6	R
123	30.23%	68.67%	R+38.4	32.20%	64.30%	R+32.1	R
124	68.87%	30.10%	D+38.8	67.16%	29.95%	D+37.2	D
125	64.05%	35.27%	D+28.8	61.49%	36.47%	D+25	D
126	71.14%	28.33%	D+42.8	67.70%	30.69%	D+37	D
127	71.70%	27.73%	D+44	69.62%	28.60%	D+41	D
128	58.68%	40.74%	D+17.9	53.91%	45.01%	D+8.9	D
129	34.82%	64.33%	R+29.5	30.56%	67.28%	R+36.7	R
130	41.36%	57.52%	R+16.2	38.50%	59.23%	R+20.7	R
131	30.10%	69.02%	R+38.9	26.45%	71.84%	R+45.4	R
132	52.31%	46.76%	D+5.5	47.39%	50.36%	R+3	D
133	26.96%	72.09%	R+45.1	26.40%	71.27%	R+44.9	R
134	32.39%	66.58%	R+34.2	33.09%	63.59%	R+30.5	R
135	75.20%	24.15%	D+51.1	71.83%	25.62%	D+46.2	D
136	76.64%	22.90%	D+53.7	74.36%	23.45%	D+50.9	D
137	61.33%	38.05%	D+23.3	57.56%	40.47%	D+17.1	D
138	49.61%	49.57%	D+0	44.79%	53.44%	R+8.7	D
139	62.73%	36.73%	D+26	56.98%	41.79%	D+15.2	D
140	42.66%	56.37%	R+13.7	36.47%	61.24%	R+24.8	R
141	33.52%	65.50%	R+32	35.91%	61.38%	R+25.5	R
142	72.69%	26.82%	D+45.9	69.80%	28.67%	D+41.1	D
143	72.80%	26.38%	D+46.4	72.74%	24.59%	D+48.2	D
144	37.33%	61.88%	R+24.5	33.67%	64.40%	R+30.7	R
145	49.55%	49.52%	D+0	45.42%	52.08%	R+6.7	R
146	33.17%	65.78%	R+32.6	33.28%	63.67%	R+30.4	R
147	42.82%	55.88%	R+13.1	45.91%	50.87%	R+5	R
148	36.88%	62.49%	R+25.6	32.66%	65.69%	R+33	R
149	34.99%	64.01%	R+29	28.75%	69.67%	R+40.9	R
150	38.10%	61.18%	R+23.1	34.09%	64.38%	R+30.3	R
151	56.09%	43.44%	D+12.7	52.05%	46.87%	D+5.2	R
152	27.10%	72.15%	R+45	24.18%	74.01%	R+49.8	R
153	65.09%	34.35%	D+30.7	64.29%	34.03%	D+30.3	D
154	64.12%	35.37%	D+28.7	61.05%	37.84%	D+23.2	D
155	32.85%	66.34%	R+33.5	27.89%	70.48%	R+42.6	R
156	27.90%	71.11%	R+43.2	23.40%	75.08%	R+51.7	R
157	31.00%	68.11%	R+37.1	25.57%	72.59%	R+47	R
158	40.23%	59.08%	R+18.8	34.85%	63.53%	R+28.7	R
159	36.50%	62.45%	R+25.9	31.08%	66.39%	R+35.3	R
160	34.41%	64.13%	R+29.7	30.97%	65.40%	R+34.4	R
161	30.32%	68.49%	R+38.2	31.61%	65.21%	R+33.6	R
162	71.15%	27.88%	D+43.3	69.50%	27.89%	D+41.6	D
163	72.75%	26.10%	D+46.7	73.06%	23.61%	D+49.4	D
164	41.85%	57.06%	R+15.2	41.94%	54.18%	R+12.2	R
165	66.44%	32.76%	D+33.7	68.06%	29.12%	D+38.9	D
166	29.14%	69.78%	R+40.6	31.24%	65.39%	R+34.2	R
167	32.87%	66.15%	R+33.3	30.01%	67.57%	R+37.6	R
168	64.64%	34.46%	D+30.2	59.49%	37.96%	D+21.5	D
169	31.08%	67.86%	R+36.8	25.60%	72.82%	R+47.2	R
170	30.62%	68.45%	R+37.8	26.38%	71.80%	R+45.4	R
171	41.06%	58.25%	R+17.2	36.53%	62.23%	R+25.7	R
172	35.73%	63.65%	R+27.9	31.21%	67.02%	R+35.8	R
173	43.69%	55.72%	R+12	40.54%	57.80%	R+17.3	R
174	30.98%	68.00%	R+37	26.14%	71.93%	R+45.8	R
175	32.86%	66.33%	R+33.5	36.55%	61.37%	R+24.8	R
176	33.55%	65.50%	R+32	29.41%	68.46%	R+39.1	R
177	66.82%	32.35%	D+34.5	51.94%	45.63%	D+6.3	D
178	16.00%	82.80%	R+66.8	12.05%	86.54%	R+74.5	R
179	42.01%	57.11%	R+15.1	39.66%	57.92%	R+18.3	R
180	33.80%	64.90%	R+31.1	30.05%	66.93%	R+36.9	R
Total	45.51%	53.33%	R+7.8	45.89%	51.05%	R+5.2	-
Source: Daily Kos

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Georgia governor Republican primary 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Georgia gubernatorial election, 2018 (May 22 Republican primary) - Google News

See also

Georgia government:

• Georgia state executive offices
• Georgia State Legislature
• Georgia courts

Elections:

• Georgia state executive official elections, 2018
• Gubernatorial elections, 2018
• Lieutenant gubernatorial elections, 2018
• Attorney General elections, 2018
• Secretary of State elections, 2018
• State executive official elections, 2018, 2017, 2016

Ballotpedia exclusives:

• State executives compensation
• State of the state addresses
• Trifecta control of state government

External links

Suggest a link

• Governor of Georgia official website

Footnotes

State executive offices

Offices

Governor • Lt. Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Schools • Insurance Commissioner • Controller • Agriculture Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commissioner

States

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

Elections

2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010

Features

Chart of state executive officers • Compensation • How gubernatorial vacancies are filled • How vacancies are filled in state executive offices • State executive officials serving in home states • State government trifectas • State of the state addresses • Term limits

Ballotpedia

About

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

---

Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Frank Festa • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond • Erica Shumaker
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

---

Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams. Managing Editor of Events • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Jaime Healy-Plotkin • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Ellie Mikus • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox