Georgia Republicans were set to finish choosing their nominees for U.S. Senate and governor in a runoff election Tuesday, the last step after no candidate cleared a majority in the May 19 primary. Voters were also deciding nominations in several congressional and state legislative districts, along with lieutenant governor, secretary of state and a handful of other contests.
The Senate runoff pits U.S. Rep. Mike Collins against former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley, with the winner set to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November. Collins led the five-candidate field on May 19 with about 41% of the vote, helped by strong margins in smaller rural counties and some larger counties north of Atlanta. Dooley got about 30% and carried only 14 of Georgia's 159 counties, but he won five of the state's six most populous counties — Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb and Clayton — along with Clarke County, home to the University of Georgia in Athens.
U.S. Rep. Earl 'Buddy' Carter finished third with 25%, and his best showings came in small rural counties clustered in southeastern Georgia. The final result on Tuesday was being watched closely because the GOP nominee will emerge from a race shaped by a sharp divide between the Atlanta metro area and the rest of the state. Trump endorsed Collins on Sunday, while outgoing Republican Gov. Brian Kemp backed Dooley the same day.
The governor's runoff offered a similar split. Kemp endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who was the top vote-getter in the primary with about 38% of the vote, while healthcare executive Rick Jackson followed with about 33%. Jones drew support across small rural counties, while Jackson stayed competitive by winning narrow contests in larger counties such as Fulton and several Atlanta suburbs.
The runoff covered far more than the marquee statewide races. planned to provide vote results and declare winners in contests for U.S. House seats, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, insurance commissioner, state school superintendent, labor commissioner and public service commission races as the ballots were counted. For Georgia Republicans, Tuesday was the day the unfinished primary finally became a ticket for November.
