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United States Senate election in Georgia, 2022 (May 24 Republican primary)

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U.S. Senate election in Georgia
Seal of Georgia.png
Runoff election (Dec. 6)
General election (Nov. 8)
Democratic primary (May 24)
Republican primary (May 24)
Filing deadline: March 11, 2022
Primary: May 24, 2022
Primary runoff: June 21, 2022
General: November 8, 2022
Runoff: December 6, 2022
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican
Inside Elections: Toss-up

Herschel Walker defeated five other candidates in Georgia's Republican Senate primary on May 24, 2022. As of 1:00 p.m. ET on May 25, Walker had received 68.2% of the vote, and Gary Black was second with 13.4%. Walker, Black, Kelvin King, and Latham Saddler led in fundraising and media attention.[1][2][3] Josh Clark and Jonathan McColumn also ran.

Walker was a professional athlete and Olympian and worked for a number of food-supply businesses. Former President Donald Trump (R) appointed Walker as chair of the Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition in 2018.[1] Walker said his campaign was about "saving our country and the great state of Georgia from President Biden’s disastrous agenda which has led to higher prices, out-of-control crime, dangerous open borders, and ‘America Last’ foreign policy. Weak leaders create bad results — and we are sick and tired of politicians not being held accountable for their actions."[4] Trump endorsed Walker in September of 2021, and Walker also received endorsements from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R), former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Fox News host Sean Hannity, and evangelist Franklin Graham.[1]

At the time of the election, Black was Georgia's Commissioner of Agriculture. Black worked as a cattle rancher and held positions in the Georgia Farm Bureau and Georgia Agribusiness Council.[1] "I’m running for the U.S. Senate to take America back! We need our government to focus on its fundamental responsibility — not the change to the foundations of our country being pushed by Raphael Warnock and Joe Biden," Black said.[5] Former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R), U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R), and U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde (R) endorsed Black.[1]

King served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force and worked in procurement, business development, and construction. King founded Osprey Management, a construction firm. "I believe our nation deserves better than President Biden and his weak leadership, just as I believe our state deserves better than Senator Warnock's divisive far-left representation," King said.[6] King's campaign released an ad focused on allegations of domestic violence against Walker: "After the violence, the abuse, the stalking, the death threats, Herschel Walker still has not been forthright with the people of Georgia, not about his violent behavior or the threats he has made against women and police."[1] The Georgia Republican Assembly endorsed King.[7]

Saddler served as a U.S. Navy SEAL officer and was Director of Intelligence Programs for the National Security Council. Saddler was also a White House Fellow from 2018 to 2019.[8] Saddler said his platform was based on the "three foundational pillars" of security, liberty, and prosperity. His campaign website said Saddler "has fought for our nation abroad and at home to ensure just that — an America that is strong, secure and free. For you, your children and many generations to come. As your United States Senator, Latham will be relentless in this pursuit."[9] The Republican Jewish Coalition of Georgia endorsed Saddler.[10]

Before the primary, Fox News' Paul Steinhauser said, "With just over two months to go until Georgia’s May 24 primary and former professional and college football star Hershel Walker holding a massive polling and fundraising lead in the race for the Republican Senate nomination, his rivals appear to be going for the jugular."[11]

Black challenged Walker's electability based on past allegations of domestic abuse, saying, "Folks, he can’t win in November. The baggage is too heavy. It’ll never happen."[12] King's campaign released an ad focused on allegations of domestic violence against Walker: "After the violence, the abuse, the stalking, the death threats, Herschel Walker still has not been forthright with the people of Georgia, not about his violent behavior or the threats he has made against women and police."[1] Saddler criticized Walker's absence at debates and GOP events, saying, "If Herschel Walker can’t even debate Republicans, how is he going to hold Raphael Warnock accountable in a general election?"[13]

Responding to critics of his electability and the allegations against him, Walker said, "I'm always accountable to whatever I've ever done. And that's what I tell people: I'm accountable to it," adding that "people can't just make up and add on and say other things that's not the truth. They want me to address things that they made up."[14] Walker's campaign representative Mallory Blount said the other candidates' "only strategy to gain any sort of relevance is to obsess over Herschel. Herschel is solely focused on beating Raphael Warnock."[12]

At the time of the primary election, the Cook Political Report rated the general election a Tossup, meaning ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage. Gov. Brian Kemp (R) appointed Kelly Loeffler (R) to the Senate seat after Johnny Isakson (R) resigned in December 2019 for health reasons. Raphael Warnock (D) defeated Loeffler in the special general runoff election on January 5, 2021, 51%-49%.

In Georgia, a candidate must receive a majority of votes in order to win a primary election. If no candidate wins an outright majority of votes cast, a runoff primary between the top two vote-getters is held.

Josh Clark (R) and Latham Saddler (R) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Click on a candidate's name to view that candidate's responses.


This page focuses on Georgia's United States Senate Republican primary. For more in-depth information on the state's Democratic primary and the general election, see the following pages:

HOTP-GOP-Ad-1-Small.png

Election news

This section includes a timeline of events leading up to the election. The timeline is updated regularly as polling, debates, and other noteworthy events occur.

The most recent events are shown first.

  • May 24, 2022: Walker finished first in the primary and won the Republican nomination.
  • May 23, 2022: The Trafalgar Group released a poll of 1,066 respondents showing Walker at 68%, Black at 10%, Clark at 3%, King at 4%, McColumn at 2%, Saddler at 10%, and 3% undecided. The margin of error was ± 2.9 percentage points.
  • May 22, 2022: Landmark Communications released a poll of 500 respondents showing Walker at 60%, Black at 9%, Clark at 3%, King at 5%, McColumn at 2%, Saddler at 12%, and 9% undecided. The margin of error was ± 4.4 percentage points.

Candidates and election results

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Georgia

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Georgia on May 24, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Herschel Walker
Herschel Walker
 
68.2
 
803,560
Image of Gary Black
Gary Black
 
13.4
 
157,370
Image of Latham Saddler
Latham Saddler Candidate Connection
 
8.9
 
104,471
Image of Josh Clark
Josh Clark Candidate Connection
 
4.0
 
46,693
Image of Kelvin King
Kelvin King
 
3.2
 
37,930
Image of Jonathan McColumn
Jonathan McColumn
 
2.4
 
28,601

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,178,625
Candidate Connection = 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

Candidate comparison

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Gary Black

Image of Gary Black

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Black received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from the University of Georgia. He was elected Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture in 2011. Black also worked as a cattle rancher and held positions in the Georgia Farm Bureau and Georgia Agribusiness Council.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

"I’m running for the U.S. Senate to take America back! We need our government to focus on its fundamental responsibility — not the change to the foundations of our country being pushed by Raphael Warnock and Joe Biden," Black said.

Black said, "I’ll work to make our elections more secure, standing against any blue wave that tries to erode voter ID laws."

Black's campaign website said, "[Black's] track record is proven through his successful leadership in the one industry that has the biggest impact on the land, prosperity, and quality of life for every Georgia citizen."

Show sources

Sources: Gary Black for Senate, "Issues," accessed April 30, 2022; Politifact, "The race for the Georgia U.S. Senate seat: A guide," April 8, 2022

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Georgia in 2022.

Josh Clark

Image of Josh Clark

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I was raised with my nine siblings on a small farm in Suwanee, Georgia, by my pastor dad and teacher mom. They instilled in us the American values of faith in God, hard work, and serving others. At 18, I became a distributor for an international company. Soon after, I renovated my first investment property myself, launching a successful real estate firm that still thrives today. I served two terms in the Georgia House of Representatives, where I earned the Defender of Liberty Award for my voting record, and I left office even though I was unopposed. I then stepped into an executive role for NeoLife North America. I have been a lifelong political volunteer in Georgia, working hard in elections, both big and small, to see constitutional conservatives of integrity put into office. I believe that elected office should be a season of service for all citizens, not a lifelong career for the few. I have woven that principle into my volunteer work, my voting habits, and my own time serving in office."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

I am the proven conservative in this race with a legislative track record. There are many layers of crafting policy and executive decision-making in government, but there is only one branch that crafts core values into the law that directs us. Likewise, there’s only one candidate in this Senate primary with lawmaking experience and that’s me. I have faced the ins and outs of a legislature with great success. The process demands skills not only in crafting law, but in building coalitions and compromising on policy without sacrificing convictions. I have done that work in Georgia and faced voters with my results! I am ready to work on day one. No on the job training, and no questions about if I’ll do what I said in the campaign!

I recognize that our bedrock family values are under attack, and they are deeply connected to so many important parts of America. As the family unit is weakened, so is our economy, societal structures, and even our stature around the world. It’s no wonder radical ideologies are targeting the family! I will be Georgia’s voice at the federal level to protect the family, fighting to stop bureaucratic control of education and make parents more influential. I will work to end federal intrustion on the family and return power to the state and local levels. I will stop the reckless printing of money that saddles our future generations with debt. We can’t punish families for balancing their checkbooks when government refuses to do the same.

As a public servant, I recognize that I’m accountable ultimately to the citizens, not party bosses, special interests, or mega donors. I will never be afraid to stand up even to my own party leadership. At the end of the day, the people have trusted me to be their vote and voice in Washington, and I will make every decision based on what’s best for them. Too many arrive in federal government looking for influence and fortune or their pure intentions get sucked into the swamp. I, however, recognize this is a season of service. Washington, D.C. is not my home — I am a proud Georgian! I won’t bend to the whims of power players in D.C., because I serve at the consent of the governed, not the pleasure of the powerful.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Georgia in 2022.

Kelvin King

Image of Kelvin King

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  King graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. His professional experience included working in procurement, business development, and construction. King also founded Osprey Management, a construction firm.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

King said, "I believe our nation deserves better than President Biden and his weak leadership, just as I believe our state deserves better than Senator Warnock's divisive far-left representation."

King said he would "[p]rotect our Constitutional rights, including the right to life, the 2nd Amendment, and religious liberty while working to limit the size and scope of government."

King said, "I truly am a product of the American dream, which makes me the fiercest defender of freedom, opportunity, and American exceptionalism."

Show sources

Sources: Kelvin King for Georgia, "Why," accessed April 30, 2022; Kelvin King for Georgia, "Meet Kevin," accessed April 30, 2022

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Georgia in 2022.

Latham Saddler

Image of Latham Saddler

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Latham served our nation as a Navy SEAL Officer and as Director of Intelligence in the Trump White House. Now, he is ready to serve Georgians in the United States Senate."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Conservative

Outsider

Fighter

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Georgia in 2022.

Herschel Walker

Image of Herschel Walker

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Walker is a Hall of Fame professional football player who attended the University of Georgia. He also represented the U.S. in the 1992 Olympics and has owned two food-supply businesses. Former President Donald Trump (R) appointed Walker as chairman of the Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition in 2018.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Walker said he is running for the U.S. Senate to save "our country and the great state of Georgia from President Biden’s disastrous agenda which has led to higher prices, out-of-control crime, dangerous open borders, and ‘America Last’ foreign policy. Weak leaders create bad results — and we are sick and tired of politicians not being held accountable for their actions."

According to Walker's campaign, "Herschel Walker is a kid from a small town in Georgia who has lived the American Dream, and now he is running for the United States Senate to keep that dream alive for you, too." Walker said that he "will fight every day in the Senate for policies that keep Georgia leading the way with job creation, lower taxes, and less government red tape."

Show sources

Sources: Herschel Walker for Senate, "Home," accessed May 1, 2022; Herschel Walker campaign website, “About Herschel,” accessed August 10, 2022; Politifact, "The race for the Georgia U.S. Senate seat: A guide," April 8, 2022; Politifact, "The race for the Georgia U.S. Senate seat: A guide," April 8, 2022

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Georgia in 2022.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Expand all | Collapse all

Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/256763964_423046112753759_3202318842361537918_n.jpg

Josh Clark (R)

I am the proven conservative in this race with a legislative track record. There are many layers of crafting policy and executive decision-making in government, but there is only one branch that crafts core values into the law that directs us. Likewise, there’s only one candidate in this Senate primary with lawmaking experience and that’s me. I have faced the ins and outs of a legislature with great success. The process demands skills not only in crafting law, but in building coalitions and compromising on policy without sacrificing convictions. I have done that work in Georgia and faced voters with my results! I am ready to work on day one. No on the job training, and no questions about if I’ll do what I said in the campaign!

I recognize that our bedrock family values are under attack, and they are deeply connected to so many important parts of America. As the family unit is weakened, so is our economy, societal structures, and even our stature around the world. It’s no wonder radical ideologies are targeting the family! I will be Georgia’s voice at the federal level to protect the family, fighting to stop bureaucratic control of education and make parents more influential. I will work to end federal intrustion on the family and return power to the state and local levels. I will stop the reckless printing of money that saddles our future generations with debt. We can’t punish families for balancing their checkbooks when government refuses to do the same.

As a public servant, I recognize that I’m accountable ultimately to the citizens, not party bosses, special interests, or mega donors. I will never be afraid to stand up even to my own party leadership. At the end of the day, the people have trusted me to be their vote and voice in Washington, and I will make every decision based on what’s best for them. Too many arrive in federal government looking for influence and fortune or their pure intentions get sucked into the swamp. I, however, recognize this is a season of service. Washington, D.C. is not my home — I am a proud Georgian! I won’t bend to the whims of power players in D.C., because I serve at the consent of the governed, not the pleasure of the powerful.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/LathamSaddler.jpeg

Latham Saddler (R)

Conservative

Outsider

Fighter
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/256763964_423046112753759_3202318842361537918_n.jpg

Josh Clark (R)

Amid our many problems in America, there are 3 policy sectors that I am eager to address immediately: individual liberties, a non-existent budget, and our broken borders. Our American freedom and prosperity is under assault from an ever-growing, out-of-control federal government. From free speech and religious liberty to our rights to assemble peaceably and bear arms, federal government has gone way outside the lanes of the Constitution. It’s time to rein in executive overreach and judicial activism and get back to proper constitutional roles. Likewise, Congress needs to take control of their Article 1 power of the purse! We have ceded control of budgetary policy to the executive, and Congress is complicit by kicking that can down the road with continuing resolutions and spending bills. It’s time for legislators to reclaim their fiscal oversight and craft a budget once again. We have to take a serious sledgehammer to our spending in order to tackle the debt and deficit addiction in Washington. Lastly, our immigration and border security policies are absolutely unacceptable, and both political parties are to blame! We have to stop the flow of sex traffickers, drug runners, asylum racketeers, and terrorists that are crossing into America unchecked. It’s time for us to finish the border wall, crack down on illegal crossings, end catch and release, and give Customs and Border Patrol the tools and manpower they need to effectively manage the flow of legal immigration into the U.S.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/LathamSaddler.jpeg

Latham Saddler (R)

National Security
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/256763964_423046112753759_3202318842361537918_n.jpg

Josh Clark (R)

I recently answered a similar question at a debate, discussing which presidents I most respect. I gave a two part answer, because two different of our recent leaders inspire me in different ways. I loved Ronald Reagan’s strength and boldness in defense of America in the world. He cast a vision for our nation and offered people great hope. A shining city on a hill, he called our us. Likewise, I have great admiration for some of the choices Donald Trump made — leaving fame, fortune, and being well-liked to take up a political cause that he would be vilified for. He sacrificed in his own way because he saw a need in America. Similar to Reagan, he wasn’t afraid to go against the grain, to be guided by what he thought was right rather than approval polls. I, too, hope to bring independence, thoughtfulness, and boldness to the Senate as we do the business of We the People.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/256763964_423046112753759_3202318842361537918_n.jpg

Josh Clark (R)

What is most important and, unfortunately, most often missing in elected officials today is integrity. If we are to restore confidence in our public institutions and respect from our allies and adversaries alike, we must be governed by men and women who speak truthfully, deal honestly, and walk the talk they give to the public. When the public makes us the trustee of their vote and voice in Washington, D.C., we must operate in honesty, transparency, and consistency!
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/256763964_423046112753759_3202318842361537918_n.jpg

Josh Clark (R)

I want the legacy that I leave for my children and all of the next generation to be one of hope and strength! No matter how depressing or desperate our situation seemed, I was not afraid to stand up and be a part of the solution. Taking action is about self-sacrifice, hard work, and service to others. That’s what I hope to leave as a lasting impression of my time in public office.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/256763964_423046112753759_3202318842361537918_n.jpg

Josh Clark (R)

I believe that public office should be a season of service, not a lifetime career. Politics has become profitable, financially and in power and influence. It feels like all the wrong kinds of people find their way into office and never leave. It’s time to put a stop to that! I term limited myself after two terms in the Georgia House and I am proud to be the first candidate in this Senate race who signed the term limits pledge. But make no mistake, we cannot stop at term limiting elected office holders. We need term limits for unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats, too, if we are ever to tackle the corruption in D.C.!
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/256763964_423046112753759_3202318842361537918_n.jpg

Josh Clark (R)

A senator meets an untimely end after getting hit by a truck while walking down the street, and he finds himself in front of heaven's gate. St. Peter, the entrance guardian, meets the Senator and explains that he had to choose between heaven and hell after spending a day in each.

Without hesitating, the politician mentions that he would love to be in heaven. However, St. Peter asked that he play by the rules first, so they took the elevator down to hell.

Upon reaching the destination, the Senator is surprised to see himself in a fascinating field of green grass and a golf course. In no time, the new soul got entertained by a group of other politicians whom he knew well on earth, and they welcomed him, chatted, ate lobster and caviar, and even played a friendly game of golf. Within what seemed like a few minutes, the Senator gets distracted by St. Peter, who tells him his time is up and he would now need to spend a day in heaven.

When the door opened, angelic souls were singing melodiously with their instruments. The Senator spent an enjoyable day there but was convinced he preferred hell since most of his friends were there already.

St. Peter wasted no time in escorting the soul back to hell. When they arrived, the land looked barren, hot, and filled with garbage. He found his friends dressed in rags and picking dirt off the ground.

The Senator seemed confused and blurted out his concerns in a teary voice. The devil smiled and replied: "Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted."
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/256763964_423046112753759_3202318842361537918_n.jpg

Josh Clark (R)

The primary quality I will look for is for a nominee to be a textualist! What that means is someone who sticks to their job of interpreting the law and not writing the law. Too often we see judges legislate from the bench, fabricating laws by ‘precedent.’ The Constitution is clear — Congress writes the law, the Executive enforces the law, and the Judiciary interprets the law. These checks and balances are vital to our republic, but they only work if Congress stops shirking their legislative responsibility and judges and bureaucrats stop taking on responsibilities the Constitution doesn’t give them.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/256763964_423046112753759_3202318842361537918_n.jpg

Josh Clark (R)

I would strive to be known by my Senate colleagues as an honest broker, someone who is thoughtful about the issues and honest about his opinion. Too often, Washington suffers from ‘you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ syndrome, but that doesn’t serve our constituents! I will build relationships with any colleague from any political party who is after transparency, responsibility, and an authentic desire to serve their constituents, not themselves.


Campaign advertisements

This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.

Republican Party Gary Black

April 18, 2022
April 18, 2022
April 15, 2022

View more ads here:

Republican Party Josh Clark

May 22, 2022
May 21, 2022
May 15, 2022

View more ads here:

Republican Party Kelvin King

February 3, 2022
December 16, 2021
November 22, 2021

View more ads here:

Republican Party Jonathan McCollum

Have a link to Jonathan McCollum's campaign ads on YouTube? Email us.


Republican Party Latham Saddler

May 12, 2022
April 26, 2022
April 6, 2022

View more ads here:

Republican Party Herschel Walker

Have a link to Herschel Walker's campaign ads on YouTube? Email us.


Debates and forums

This section includes links to debates, forums, and other similar events where multiple candidates in this race participated. If you are aware of any debates or forums that should be included, please email us.

May 3 Atlanta Press Club debate

On May 3, 2022, Black, Clark, King, McColumn, and Saddler participated in a debate hosted by the Atlanta Press Club.[15]

Click on the links below for summaries of the event:

April 9 Georgia 9th District Republicans debate

On April 9, 2022, Black, Clark, King, McColum, and Saddler participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Georgia 9th District Republicans.[17]

Click on the links below for summaries of the event:

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.


Republican primary endorsements
Endorser Republican Party Gary Black Republican Party Kelvin King Republican Party Latham Saddler Republican Party Herschel Walker
Government officials
Cindy Hyde-Smith (R)  source ✔      
Mitch McConnell (R)  source       ✔
Andrew Clyde (R)  source ✔      
Marjorie Taylor Greene (R)  source       ✔
Individuals
Doug Collins  source ✔      
Nathan Deal  source ✔      
Newt Gingrich  source       ✔
Franklin Graham  source       ✔
Donald Trump  source       ✔
Organizations
Georgia Republican Assembly  source   ✔    
Republican Jewish Coalition-Political Action Committee (RJC-PAC)  source     ✔  
Other
Sean Hannity  source       ✔

Election competitiveness

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

Polls are conducted with a variety of methodologies and have margins of error or credibility intervals.[18] The Pew Research Center wrote, "A margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level means that if we fielded the same survey 100 times, we would expect the result to be within 3 percentage points of the true population value 95 of those times."[19] For tips on reading polls from FiveThirtyEight, click here. For tips from Pew, click here.

Below we provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. Click here to read about FiveThirtyEight's criteria for including polls in its aggregation. We only report polls for which we can find a margin of error or credibility interval.


United States Senate election in Georgia, 2022 (May 24 Republican primary) election polls
Poll Date Black Clark King McColumn Saddler Walker Undecided/Other Margin of error Sample size[20] Sponsor[21]
Trafalgar Group May 21-23 10% 3% 4% 2% 10% 68% 3% ± 2.9 1066 --
Landmark Communications May 22 9% 3% 5% 2% 12% 60% 9% ± 4.4 500 --
FOX News May 12-16 8% 2% 3% 1% 5% 66% 15% ± 3.0 1,000 --
SurveyUSA April 22-27 6% 3% 2% 2% 3% 62% 21% ± 4.8 559 WXIA-TV (Atlanta)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution April 10-22 7% 1% 1% 1% 2% 66% 32% ± 3.3 886 --
Emerson polling April 1-3 13.0% 4.7% 2.7% 1.5% 1.5% 57.0% 16.0% ± 3 1,013 The Hill
University of Georgia March 20 -April 8 8% 0% 2% 0% 2% 64% 24% ± 5.4 329 --


General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[22]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[23][24][25]

Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in Georgia, 2022
Race trackerRace ratings
November 8, 2022November 1, 2022October 25, 2022October 18, 2022
The Cook Political Report with Amy WalterToss-upToss-upToss-upToss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesToss-upToss-upToss-upToss-up
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLean RepublicanToss-upToss-upToss-up
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week.

Election spending

Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.[26] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.[27] Click here to view the reporting schedule for candidates for U.S. Congress in 2022.

U.S. Congress campaign reporting schedule, 2022
Report Close of books Filing deadline
Year-end 2021 12/31/2021 1/31/2022
April quarterly 3/31/2022 4/15/2022
July quarterly 6/30/2022 7/15/2022
October quarterly 9/30/2022 10/15/2022
Pre-general 10/19/2022 10/27/2022
Post-general 11/28/2022 12/08/2022
Year-end 2022 12/31/2022 1/31/2023


Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Gary Black Republican Party $2,030,593 $2,028,136 $2,457 As of December 31, 2022
Josh Clark Republican Party $386,657 $386,657 $0 As of September 25, 2022
Kelvin King Republican Party $1,660,864 $1,656,119 $4,744 As of December 31, 2022
Jonathan McColumn Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Latham Saddler Republican Party $4,264,252 $4,258,109 $6,144 As of December 31, 2022
Herschel Walker Republican Party $73,748,652 $68,726,972 $5,021,681 As of December 31, 2022

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2022. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[28][29][30]

If available, links to satellite spending reports by the Federal Election Commission and OpenSecrets.org are linked below. Any satellite spending reported in other resources is displayed in a table. This table may not represent the actual total amount spent by satellite groups in the election. Satellite spending for which specific amounts, dates, or purposes are not reported are marked "N/A." To help us complete this information, or to notify us of additional satellite spending, email us.

By candidate By election
Satellite spending in United States Senate election in Georgia, 2022 (May 24 Republican primary)
Organization Amount Date Purpose
National Republican Senatorial Committee$1,200,000May 23, 2022Ads against Raphael Warnock (D)

Election analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.

  • Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
  • Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
  • State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
  • Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.

Presidential elections

See also: Presidential voting trends in Georgia and The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Cook PVI by congressional district

Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Georgia, 2022
District Incumbent Party PVI
Georgia's 1st Buddy Carter Ends.png Republican R+9
Georgia's 2nd Sanford Bishop Electiondot.png Democratic D+3
Georgia's 3rd Drew Ferguson Ends.png Republican R+18
Georgia's 4th Hank Johnson Electiondot.png Democratic D+27
Georgia's 5th Nikema Williams Electiondot.png Democratic D+32
Georgia's 6th Open Electiondot.png Democratic R+11
Georgia's 7th Carolyn Bourdeaux / Lucy McBath Electiondot.png Democratic D+10
Georgia's 8th Austin Scott Ends.png Republican R+16
Georgia's 9th Andrew Clyde Ends.png Republican R+22
Georgia's 10th Open Ends.png Republican R+15
Georgia's 11th Barry Loudermilk Ends.png Republican R+11
Georgia's 12th Rick Allen Ends.png Republican R+8
Georgia's 13th David Scott Electiondot.png Democratic D+28
Georgia's 14th Marjorie Taylor Greene Ends.png Republican R+22


2020 presidential results by 2022 congressional district lines

2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2022 district lines, Georgia[31]
District Joe Biden Democratic Party Donald Trump Republican Party
Georgia's 1st 42.6% 56.0%
Georgia's 2nd 54.7% 44.4%
Georgia's 3rd 34.4% 64.4%
Georgia's 4th 78.3% 20.6%
Georgia's 5th 82.6% 16.2%
Georgia's 6th 41.8% 56.7%
Georgia's 7th 62.3% 36.5%
Georgia's 8th 35.7% 63.3%
Georgia's 9th 30.4% 68.3%
Georgia's 10th 37.7% 61.1%
Georgia's 11th 41.5% 56.8%
Georgia's 12th 44.3% 54.5%
Georgia's 13th 79.7% 19.3%
Georgia's 14th 30.7% 68.1%


2012-2020

How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:


Following the 2020 presidential election, 45.4% of Georgians lived in one of the state's 122 Solid Republican counties, which voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 35.4% lived in one of 27 Solid Democratic counties. Overall, Georgia was New Democratic, having voted for Mitt Romney (R) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Joe Biden (D) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Georgia following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.

Historical voting trends

Georgia presidential election results (1900-2020)

  • 20 Democratic wins
  • 10 Republican wins
  • 1 other win
Year 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
Winning Party D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R AI[32] R D D R R D R R R R R R D

Statewide elections

This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.

U.S. Senate elections

See also: List of United States Senators from Georgia

The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Georgia.

U.S. Senate election results in Georgia
Race Winner Runner up
2020 51.0%Democratic Party 49.0%Republican Party
2020 50.6%Democratic Party 49.4%Republican Party
2016 54.8%Republican Party 41.0%Democratic Party
2014 52.9%Republican Party 45.2%Democratic Party
2010 58.1%Republican Party 39.2%Democratic Party
Average 53.5 44.8

Gubernatorial elections

See also: Governor of Georgia

The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Georgia.

Gubernatorial election results in Georgia
Race Winner Runner up
2018 50.2%Republican Party 48.8%Democratic Party
2014 52.7%Democratic Party 44.9%Republican Party
2010 53.0%Republican Party 43.0%Democratic Party
2006 58.0%Republican Party 38.2%Democratic Party
2002 51.4%Republican Party 46.3%Democratic Party
Average 53.1 44.2

State partisanship

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Georgia's congressional delegation as of November 2022.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Georgia, November 2022
Party U.S. Senate U.S. House Total
Democratic 2 6 8
Republican 0 8 8
Independent 0 0 0
Vacancies 0 0 0
Total 2 14 16

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Georgia's top four state executive offices as of November 2022.

State executive officials in Georgia, November 2022
Office Officeholder
Governor Republican Party Brian Kemp
Lieutenant Governor Republican Party Geoff Duncan
Secretary of State Republican Party Brad Raffensperger
Attorney General Republican Party Chris Carr

State legislature

The tables below highlight the partisan composition of the Georgia General Assembly as of November 2022.

Georgia State Senate

Party As of November 2022
     Democratic Party 22
     Republican Party 34
     Vacancies 0
Total 56

Georgia House of Representatives

Party As of November 2022
     Democratic Party 75
     Republican Party 103
     Independent 0
     Vacancies 2
Total 180

Trifecta control

As of November 2022, Georgia was a Republican trifecta, with majorities in both chambers of the state legislature and control of the governorship. The table below displays the historical trifecta status of the state.

Georgia Party Control: 1992-2022
Eleven years of Democratic trifectas  •  Eighteen 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
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
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
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

Demographics

The table below details demographic data in Georgia and compares it to the broader United States as of 2019.

Demographic Data for Georgia
Georgia United States
Population 9,687,653 308,745,538
Land area (sq mi) 57,716 3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White 58.6% 72.5%
Black/African American 31.6% 12.7%
Asian 4% 5.5%
Native American 0.4% 0.8%
Pacific Islander 0.1% 0.2%
Other (single race) 2.8% 4.9%
Multiple 2.6% 3.3%
Hispanic/Latino 9.5% 18%
Education
High school graduation rate 87.1% 88%
College graduation rate 31.3% 32.1%
Income
Median household income $58,700 $62,843
Persons below poverty level 15.1% 13.4%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019).
**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.


Election context

Ballot access requirements

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Georgia in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Georgia, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2022
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Georgia U.S. Senate Ballot-qualified party N/A $5,220.00 3/11/2022 Source
Georgia U.S. Senate Unaffiliated 72,336 $5,220.00 7/12/2022 Source


2022 battleground elections

See also: Battlegrounds

This election was a battleground race. Other 2022 battleground elections included:

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Politifact, "The race for the Georgia U.S. Senate seat: A guide," April 8, 2022
  2. ↑ 11alive, "Here's how Georgia voters feel about US Senate candidates," April 28, 2022
  3. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "The 13 Most Important Republican Senate Primaries To Watch," April 21, 2022
  4. ↑ All On Georgia, "Herschel Walker Announces Official Qualification to Run for U.S. Senate," March 7, 2022
  5. ↑ Gary Black for Senate, "Issues," accessed April 30, 2022
  6. ↑ Kelvin King for Georgia, "Meet Kevin," accessed April 30, 2022
  7. ↑ The Georgia Republican Assembly, "Endorsements," accessed April 30, 2022
  8. ↑ Latham Saddler, "About," accessed April 30, 2022
  9. ↑ Latham Saddler, "Issues," accessed April 30, 2022
  10. ↑ Latham Saddler, "Saddler earns huge win with Republican Jewish Coalition," February 21, 2022
  11. ↑ Fox News, "Walker’s the overwhelming front runner in Georgia’s Republican Senate nomination race, according to a recent Fox News poll," March 17, 2022
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Politico, "‘The baggage is too heavy’: GOP foes tee up last-ditch effort to sink Herschel Walker," April 1, 2022
  13. ↑ Twitter," "Latham Saddler," February 16, 2022
  14. ↑ Axios, "Exclusive: Herschel Walker confronts his mental health, domestic violence allegations," December 13, 2021
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 C-SPAN, "Georgia U.S. Senate Republican Debate," May 3, 2022
  16. ↑ SurveyUSA, " Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #26299," accessed May 2, 2022
  17. ↑ Facebook, “Voice of Rural America,” April 9, 2022
  18. ↑ For more information on the difference between margins of error and credibility intervals, see explanations from the American Association for Public Opinion Research and Ipsos.
  19. ↑ Pew Research Center, "5 key things to know about the margin of error in election polls," September 8, 2016
  20. ↑ RV=Registered Voters
    LV=Likely Voters
  21. ↑ The sponsor is the person or group that funded all or part of the poll.
  22. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  23. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  24. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  25. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  26. ↑ Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.
  27. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2022 Quarterly Reports," accessed March 2, 2022
  28. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
  29. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
  30. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
  31. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed September 9, 2022
  32. ↑ American Independent Party


Georgia's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Jon Ossoff (D)
Raphael Warnock (D)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
Republican Party (9)
Democratic Party (7)


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