2022 Elections: Runoffs are set in Georgia’s down-ballot races

Georgia is one of twelve states that use the runoff process to decide who wins an election. If a candidate fails to win a 50.1% majority of the vote, then the top two vote getters will compete in a runoff election on Tuesday, June 21. Here are the races in which a runoff is needed.

10th District Republican Primary

Former gubernatorial candidate Vernon Jones carries 21% of the vote and former President Donald J. Trump’s endorsement. However, he is trailing businessman Mike Collins by four points. 

Wednesday night, Jones alluded to the fact that this race, moving to the 10th District, and the mudslinging did not dampen his resolve.

“Last night, our campaign advanced to a runoff that the media and RINO Right said was impossible,” Jones said on Twitter. “For MONTHS, they sought to portray me as a racist, a bigot, and everything else. They failed. The people of my district care about SOLUTIONS, not preferred pronouns.”

Georgia Secretary of State: Brad Raffensperger vs TBD

During Tuesday night’s primary election, the incumbent, Brad Raffensperger decisively beat Trump-backed U.S. Rep Jody Hice in the Republican primary.

On the Democratic side, Georgia State Representative Bee Nguyen is leading Dee Dawkins-Haigler by more than a 2-to-1 margin. However, Nguyen has not crossed the 50% plus one threshold to avoid a runoff. 

“Bee has a strong track record of protecting our right to vote and defending our democracy,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said. “When she was a State Representative, Bee repealed the discriminatory exact-match policy and restored the right to vote to nearly 50,000 Georgians. When Randolph County threatened to close 7 of 9 voting precincts, Bee went door-to-door to help stop the closure of precincts. When the John Lewis Voting Rights Act was stalled, Bee rallied with faith-based leaders and Georgia advocates, leading to their arrests. And when Trump’s legal team tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Bee exposed their lies and misinformation. Bee will protect our right to vote, and she will ensure all Georgians have a voice at the ballot box.”

Georgia Lieutenant Governor: Burt Jones vs TBD

Republican frontrunner, State Sen. Burt Jones, R-Jackson, has served in the Georgia Legislature for ten years. As he seeks to hold the gavel, he is currently leading Senate Pro Tempore, Butch Miller, 50.1% to 31.1%. Jones is running on his ambition to repeal Georgia’s state income tax. At the time of publication, it appears Jones will have enough margin to escape a runoff. 

Meanwhile, former U.S. Congressman Kwanza Hall is leading the Democratic primary. However, Hall is only carrying 30.1% of the vote and is destined for a runoff election. Atlanta attorney Charlie Bailey currently is carrying 17% of the vote and in third place is State Representative Renitta Shannon with more than 14% of the vote. 

Georgia Labor Commissioner: Bruce Thompson vs TBD

Republican Bruce Thompson was a State Senator from White, Georgia and fought an intense bout with COVID-19 in March 2020. Famously, after he declared on Facebook he had a clean bill of health, Thompson drove to St. George to celebrate his self diagnosis. Presently, Thompson is beating challenger Mike Coan by a 2-to-1 margin.

On the Democratic side, State Representative William K. Boddie, Jr. is leading the group of five candidates in the primary. However, with 27% of the vote, Boddie is likely headed to a runoff. Nicole Horn is trailing Boddie by two points or by nearly 16,5000 votes.

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner: Tyler Harper vs Nakita Hemingway

Tyler Harper ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Harper, 36, currently represents the 7th District in the Georgia State Senate. Upon winning the nomination, Harper tweeted the following: 

“I am honored to be the Republican Nominee for Agriculture Commissioner of the great state of Georgia! We’re ready to hit the ground running, win BIG in November, and deliver for our farmers, producers, and consumers all across the state!”

On the Democratic side, Nakita Hemingway won the nomination, carrying 57% of the vote. A realtor and cut-flower farmer, Hemingway captured the Democratic nomination after beating State Rep. Winfred Dukes of Albany.

Georgia Insurance Commissioner: John King vs TBD

Trump-backed Patrick Witt was defeated by Kemp-backed and incumbent Insurance Commissioner John L. King. King carried 70% of the vote, beating Witt by almost 55 points. On the Democratic side, Janice Laws Robinson will enter a runoff against Raphael Baker. Robinson secured 48% of the vote. 

Georgia’s partisan primary elections are designed to narrow down a field of candidates from each party to one nominee from each party. The party nominees will then face off in the November 8th general election for a given office. In Georgia, if a candidate does not meet the 50%-plus-one threshold after all of the votes are counted, a runoff election will take place on June 21st. 

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