The joke goes, if you stick your head in the Georgia Senate chamber and say, “Hey governor,” all 56 members will turn around.

With eight senators and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones running for higher office, the Senate could be especially political this session. Four of the lawmakers are running for lieutenant governor, two for attorney general and two more are congressional hopefuls.

Ed Lindsey, a former Republican state House member and current lobbyist, said this year may feature the most contested statewide races since 2010.

Republicans control both chambers of the state Legislature. Senate Democratic Leader Harold Jones of Augusta said his caucus expects GOP candidates to push “culture war” bills — such as bills regulating transgender people or punishing librarians who allow students to access “harmful materials.” It’s a strategy he said doesn’t always work for the party in power.

“That can play both ways, because once you vote for (a divisive issue) and you start talking about running for a statewide office, you’re no longer just trying to run for your district,” he said. “Some of those things may not play as well as some people anticipate.”

Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte, R-Dallas, said he was convinced his caucus members, whether seeking higher office or not, would continue to work for their constituents.

“To our leadership team, this session is business as usual,” he said.

The four lieutenant governor hopefuls

The most interesting race to watch play out in the chamber may be the one to replace Jones as lieutenant governor. In addition to stepping in if something were to happen to the governor, the lieutenant governor presides over the Senate.

State Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming — pictured questioning Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis during a Senate committee meeting in December — is a candidate for lieutenant governor. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Republican state Sens. Greg Dolezal of Cumming, Steve Gooch of Dahlonega and Blake Tillery of Vidalia have spent the better part of the past decade working together to push conservative-backed legislation. Now, they are running against each other.

Gooch and Tillery said they do not expect tension among Republican candidates, emphasizing affordability and public safety as priorities.

“Remember, this has happened several times before,” said Tillery, who serves as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This isn’t anything new for the folks wanting new jobs.”

State Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega — pictured speaking in the Capitol in February 2024 — is a candidate for lieutenant governor. (Arvin Temkar/AJC 2024)

While Dolezal said he doesn’t expect brawls on the Senate floor, he wouldn’t be surprised to see people working to gain name recognition during session.

“I think there is a sense that we still have a job to do,” he said. “But I think there’s going to be a lot of showmanship and gamesmanship and all that kind of stuff. People who, for years, have been quiet are suddenly finding their voices on both sides of the aisle, frankly, to appeal to their base.”

Another Republican in the race, John F. Kennedy of Macon, stepped down from the Senate last year to focus on his lieutenant governor bid.

State Sen. Josh McLaurin of Atlanta is so far the only Democrat officially in the race. That gives him an opportunity to focus on the Republican “heavy hitters” who might become his opponent after the primary election.

McLaurin said while he believes Republicans will put some focus on providing economic relief, he’s convinced there isn’t much more those candidates can do to play to their base voters.

State Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia — pictured speaking about House Bill 68 in March 2025 — is a candidate for lieutenant governor. (Arvin Temkar/AJC 2025)

Tillery last year pushed legislation that would have banned state health insurance programs from paying for gender-affirming care for transgender Georgians. Gooch created a new specialty license plate with one of President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign taglines on it. And Dolezal pushed legislation in 2024 that would allow school librarians to be prosecuted if they distribute “harmful” materials to students.

“I think these guys are out of ideas because, again, their base is obsessed with Donald Trump, and the Republican Party has worked itself into an antigovernment frenzy that can’t address the real needs of working people,” McLaurin said.

State Sen. Josh McLaurin, D-Sandy Springs — pictured speaking in the Senate in February 2025 — is a candidate for lieutenant governor. (Natrice Miller/AJC 2025)

Other races

The Senate Judiciary Committee, which has handled high-profile legislation such as last year’s overhaul of the state’s civil litigation process, may also draw attention this session, with Chairman Brian Strickland, R-McDonough, and Vice Chairman Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, facing off in the Republican primary for attorney general.

“I got elected to fight for conservative policies that keep Georgians safe and prosperous, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do,” Strickland said. “If you want a promotion to another job, you need to show up for the one you were elected to do first.”

State Sens. Brian Strickland (left) and Bill Cowsert, both Republicans, hope to be Georgia's next attorney general. (AJC file photos)

Cowsert said he plans to focus on pursuing bills that regulate and improve the way prosecutors operate in Georgia.

Two senators have also declared bids for congressional seats: state Sen. Emanuel Jones, an Ellenwood Democrat challenging U.S. Rep. David Scott, and state Sen. Colton Moore, a Trenton Republican running for the seat vacated by U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Statewide elections create a lot of turnover in the Legislature, with those who have been in office longer taking their institutional knowledge with them.

But Lindsey said lawmakers who remain in the Senate while they seek higher office may be motivated to produce results before primary voters weigh in.

“And so that’s the silver lining in all this,” he said. “They are going to want to be able to go back out to the voters before the May primary and show that they stayed in for productive reasons, and that they can get things done.”

State senators running for higher office

Lieutenant governor