Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis routed her opponent. U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath demolished her rivals. And Georgia Supreme Court Justice Andrew Pinson defeated a challenger in one of the state’s most closely watched races.
Up and down the Georgia ballot for Tuesday’s primaries, most incumbents prevailed over challengers, proving anew the perils of trying to unseat an officeholder. That proved true even in races with well-funded rivals who soaked up media attention.
The most closely watched contest exemplified that trend. Former Democratic U.S. Rep. John Barrow tried to transform his challenge to Pinson into a referendum on abortion rights, promising to oppose laws that restrict the procedure.
Credit: AJC
Credit: AJC
But he suffered a double-digit loss to Pinson, a 2022 appointee of Gov. Brian Kemp who steered clear of taking stances on abortion or other divisive issues even as he leveraged the endorsements of Kemp and other GOP leaders.
Other incumbents reigned, too, including the central figures in Fulton County’s election interference trial against Donald Trump and his allies.
Willis breezed to victory over liberal attorney Christian Wise Smith, setting up a November showdown against Republican Courtney Kramer. And Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who oversees the trial, easily triumphed.
A court-ordered overhaul of Georgia’s political maps didn’t slow McBath or U.S. Rep. David Scott after their metro Atlanta districts were redrawn. McBath, a potential 2026 statewide candidate, shrugged off two Democratic local officials in west Atlanta territory. And Scott won a district on Atlanta’s east side despite concerns about his health.
Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
Georgia’s 3rd Congressional District was more jumbled. Left open by retiring Rep. Drew Ferguson, the contest for the deeply-conservative west Georgia district is the most competitive U.S. House race in the state this campaign cycle.
Former Trump aide Brian Jack parlayed the former president’s support to finish as the top vote-getter, but he’ll face former state Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan in a June 18 runoff after he couldn’t secure the majority needed for an outright victory.
Down the ticket, most incumbents also had good nights. State Sen. Elena Parent turned back a challenge from a fellow Democrat who tried to paint her as a closet MAGA warrior in her liberal DeKalb County-based district.
And Democratic state Sen. Sally Harrell defeated David Lubin, the father of a slain Israeli police officer who mounted a well-financed challenge after Harrell abstained from voting on a measure to combat antisemitism.
There were exceptions to the dominance of officeholders, however.
State Rep. Lauren Daniel lost to fellow Republican Noelle Kahaian in a Henry County-based district. And Democratic state Rep. Teri Anulewicz lost to liberal activist Gabriel Sanchez in Smyrna. The Democratic Socialists of America said Sanchez’s victory marked the first time a candidate running on the group‘s far-left platform won a Georgia legislative race, though he will still face Republican Diane Jackson in November.
Pinson’s win capped a long line of incumbent justices who celebrated on election night. In fact, no sitting justice has been ousted from Georgia’s top court in more than a century. He said his win felt particularly sweet.
“My opponent tried to make this into an issue-based, partisan race, and people rejected that approach,” he said. “I hope that our victory tonight sends a message to folks who try to politicize the judiciary that the people of Georgia back an independent judiciary.”
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
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