ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in the U.S. state of Georgia nominated two candidates for Congress in Tuesday’s runoff elections: A former federal official defeated a man convicted of holding an illegal demonstration at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and a former Donald Trump aide won a race for an open seat in another district.
Meanwhile, Democrats have chosen their candidate for the general election in November against Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
The two parties also nominated candidates for eight runoff elections to state legislatures in which no one won a majority in the May 21 primaries.
Here’s a look at the races:
2nd District
Former U.S. Department of Education official Wayne Johnson defeated Chuck Hand, a convicted felon on January 6, for the Republican nomination for the 2nd Congressional District.
“I think people are looking for solutions,” Johnson told the Associated Press by phone afterward. “They’re looking for people who have some experience. And I think I was able to convey that I’m a solutions-oriented person.”
Johnson will challenge 16-term Democratic Rep. Sanford Bishop in the district, which spans 30 counties in southwest Georgia and extends into Columbus and Macon. The district has produced comfortable Democratic majorities in recent years.
Johnson promises to pay more attention to the region’s needs, including military bases. He said voters feel Bishop has not done enough to improve economic conditions in a region that includes some of the state’s poorest counties.
“They don’t believe he’s responsible for this,” Johnson said. “They just don’t feel like he’s done anything substantial to move this forward or advance it.”
Johnson received the most votes in the four-candidate primary on May 21, but runner-up Hand attracted attention when he criticized Johnson and subsequently walked out of a televised debate.
Hand, a construction manager, was sentenced to 20 days in federal prison and six months of probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor in connection with the Capitol riot. He is one of at least five people convicted of crimes on Jan. 6 who are running for Congress as Republicans this year, three of whom have lost primaries so far.
Hand’s campaign was geared toward uniting black and white working-class voters under Trump’s banner to improve the economy. When asked for comment on Tuesday, Hand responded via text message: “To be continued…”
3rd District
Former Trump adviser Brian Jack defeated former state Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan for the Republican nomination for the 3rd Congressional District.
Jack is considered the favorite to succeed Republican U.S. Representative Drew Ferguson, who is retiring after four terms in office and will run against Democrat Maura Keller, in November.
Jack, a 36-year-old Peachtree City native, was endorsed by Trump after working on his campaign and administration. He later worked for then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Jack based his campaign on his affinity with the former president and used his Washington connections to raise funds.
“The power of Trump’s endorsement is alive and well,” Jack told the AP by phone. “Without President Trump’s endorsement, his repeated endorsements, I would not be a Republican nominee.”
Jack promised to campaign heavily throughout November, including to increase voter turnout for Trump, and touted his experience and connections as a means to achieve his goals in Congress, including extending tax cuts and cracking down on immigration.
“I think it gives me a unique opportunity to be incredibly effective on day one and to be incredibly responsive to the voters in my district,” Jack said.
Dugan argued that Jack’s status as a Washington insider was a disadvantage and said voters should instead favor his values for Georgia.
“While the evening did not go as we had hoped, we are grateful for the support that has gotten us this far,” Dugan said in a statement. “We wish Brian Jack all the best.”
Jack received nearly 47% of the vote in the May 21 primary election, coming in first in 14 of 15 precincts. Dugan received nearly 25%, winning his home county of Carroll. The third and fourth place finishers both endorsed Jack.
The 3rd District includes some of Atlanta’s southern and western suburbs and extends south to Columbus. Republicans typically receive about two-thirds of the vote here.
Other races
In the Democratic race to challenge Greene in the 14th District, Shawn Harris, a retired Army general and rancher, defeated Clarence Blalock, a candidate for Atlanta City Council in 2021. Blalock narrowly beat Harris in the four-candidate primary. Harris faces a tough fight in the heavily Republican district.
The nominations for eight seats in the state parliament were decided in run-off elections.
Republican incumbent Steven Sainz defeated challenger Glenn Cook to retain his seat in the 180th House District, which includes Camden and Glynn counties. Sainz will face Democrat Defonsio Daniels in November.
Military veteran and Democratic activist Kenya Wicks defeated former state Rep. Valencia Stovall for the Democratic nomination in Senate District 34 in Clayton and Fayette counties after party organizations endorsed Wicks, citing Stovall’s past support for school choice and other issues. Wicks will face Republican Andrew Honeycutt for the vacant seat.
Jeff Amy, The Associated Press
