State Rep. Tim Fleming announces plans to run for secretary of state
Republican state Rep. Tim Fleming, a former top aide to Gov. Brian Kemp, is planning to run for Georgia secretary of state, kicking off the race to become the state’s top elections official.
Fleming is the first candidate seeking the elections job in Georgia’s swing state battleground. The secretary of state is responsible for ensuring accuracy, protecting voters and certifying results, along with business registration and licensing for dozens of professions.
As a supporter of President Donald Trump, Fleming is positioning himself as a conservative candidate to replace outgoing Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who refused the president’s request to “find” votes after the 2020 election.
Fleming took the initial step Tuesday to run for secretary of state in 2026 by filing paperwork to begin raising money for his campaign.
“I look forward to continuing meaningful conversations with Georgians across this great state about the challenges we face and the future we can build together with strong conservative leadership,” Fleming said in a statement.
Fleming, a 42-year-old small-business owner from Covington, is the chairman of a House study committee that plans to evaluate Georgia’s voting equipment, voter registration policies and the State Election Board.
Fleming sponsored an elections overhaul bill this year that sought to withdraw Georgia from a voter registration accuracy organization and ban absentee ballot drop-off the weekend before Election Day.
Before his election to the state House in 2022, Fleming served as Kemp’s chief of staff for two years. When Kemp was secretary of state, Fleming held roles as deputy elections director, chief of staff and deputy secretary of state.
Fleming could face several rivals in the Republican race for the office.
Potential Republican candidates include Gabriel Sterling, chief operating officer for the secretary of state’s office; Kelvin King, who previously ran for U.S. Senate and is married to State Election Board member Janelle King, is another possible candidate.
Among Democrats, possible candidates include state Rep. Saira Draper, state Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes and former state Rep. Bee Nguyen, who ran for secretary of state in 2022.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
