Georgia’s 2026 gubernatorial race is shaping up to be a high-stakes showdown, with candidates from both major parties drawing sharp battle lines over loyalty to former President Donald Trump and the legacy of the contentious 2020 presidential election. The contest, which will decide who governs the Peach State as it heads into another pivotal presidential cycle in 2028, is attracting national attention—and for good reason. The outcome could influence not just Georgia’s future, but the broader direction of American politics.
On September 17, 2025, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger officially announced his candidacy for governor in a video statement, declaring, “I’m a conservative Republican, and I’m prepared to make the tough decisions. I follow the law and the Constitution, and I’ll always do the right thing for Georgia, no matter what.” According to Capitol Beat, Raffensperger’s announcement comes after a tumultuous tenure as secretary of state, during which he became a household name for refusing Trump’s demand to “find 11,780 votes” to overturn the state’s 2020 election results.
Raffensperger’s principled stand—famously captured on a leaked phone call with Trump—made him a hero to some and a pariah to others within his own party. In his book, Integrity Counts, he reflected, “I don’t expect history to remember the name Brad Raffensperger. But I do expect history to remember these times, when a president who lost his election refused to concede.” As the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) reports, Raffensperger’s refusal to bend to Trump’s pressure won him acclaim nationwide, but also subjected him to death threats and a formal censure from Georgia GOP delegates, who passed a resolution barring him from running as a Republican—though, by their own admission, they lack the power to enforce it.
Despite the backlash, Raffensperger’s popularity with the broader electorate remained robust. He handily won re-election in 2022, overcoming both a Trump-backed primary challenger and a formidable Democrat in the general election. Now, with near-universal name recognition and a reputation for independence, he is betting that his appeal will carry him through a crowded and competitive GOP primary.
He’s not alone in the race. Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, a staunch Trump ally and former state senator who played a prominent role in efforts to contest Georgia’s 2020 results, is also vying for the Republican nomination. Jones narrowly avoided a runoff in his 2022 primary, winning 51% of the vote, and has made his loyalty to Trump a central theme of his campaign. At a recent rally in Flovilla, U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach praised Jones’s actions in 2020, saying, “We saw boxes being stuffed. We saw all this, and we got all these complaints. So we started asking questions, and we wanted a special session. We wanted to get down to the bottom of it, and that’s when I learned (Burt Jones) has backbone and courage.”
Bruce LeVell, another Trump ally, echoed this sentiment: “When it got hot, Burt Jones never wavered. If that doesn’t qualify him to govern, I don’t know what else does.” State Sen. Greg Dolezal added, “All these politicians want a ticket on the Trump train now, but they never paid the price. Let me tell you something. Burt Jones paid the price.” Jones’s campaign spokesperson, Kendyl Parker, summed up their strategy: “Burt never backs away from fights and sticks with friends.”
Attorney General Chris Carr rounds out the top tier of Republican contenders. Carr, who defended Georgia in 16 lawsuits challenging the 2020 results and rebuffed Trump’s efforts to overturn the outcome, is positioning himself as the most electable conservative in the race. His campaign strategist, Heath Garrett, emphasized Carr’s alignment with Governor Brian Kemp, stating, “In 2020 and in 2022, Chris Carr proudly stood by Gov Kemp, Burt Jones did not. The governor and Chris Carr received 75% of the vote in the Republican Primary in 2022 because Republicans overwhelmingly endorsed their style of conservative leadership.” Carr’s spokesperson, Julia Mazzone, asserted, “Chris Carr is also the only candidate who understands the challenges real Georgians face in making ends meet and building a better future.”
Not to be overlooked, Democrats are preparing for a fierce fight of their own. The Democratic primary field includes Atlanta state Sen. Jason Esteves, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, and former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan. Duncan, for his part, is framing himself as the Democrat best positioned to thwart Trump’s influence in Georgia. “It’s an important win for Democrats, because at the end of the day, Donald Trump will be the default governor of this state if one of his hand-picked puppets wins,” he said, according to the AJC.
Democratic leaders are betting that Republicans’ ties to Trump will prove a liability in the general election. Charlie Bailey, chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, predicted a bruising GOP primary, stating, “As he wades into the governor’s race, Brad Raffensperger will have to pay the price of admission to any 2026 GOP primary: fully embracing Donald Trump and his toxic agenda of sky-high costs, shuttered hospitals, health care cuts, and economic chaos.” Bailey added, “We’ll see if Raffensperger can successfully out-MAGA Burt Jones and Chris Carr to win this messy, bruising primary – good luck!”
Underlying the partisan jockeying is a deeper question about the direction of Georgia—and the country. The next governor will oversee the state’s 2028 elections, a cycle that could be fraught with controversy if Trump, who has mused publicly about seeking a third term despite constitutional limits, attempts another run for the White House. As the AJC notes, the 2026 gubernatorial election will determine whether Georgia’s executive branch stands with Trump or against him in that critical moment.
Governor Brian Kemp’s 2022 reelection campaign offered an early preview of the dynamics now at play. Kemp, who clashed with Trump over the 2020 results, defeated Trump-backed David Perdue in the GOP primary with nearly 74% of the vote and went on to beat Democrat Stacey Abrams in the general election, thanks in part to support from independents and even some Democrats. Raffensperger and Carr, both targets of Trump’s ire, also survived primary challenges and secured re-election, demonstrating the complex loyalties of Georgia’s voters.
As the 2026 campaign heats up, all eyes are on how candidates navigate the legacy of 2020, their relationship with Trump, and the evolving priorities of Georgia’s diverse electorate. Will Republican voters reward steadfast loyalty to the former president, or will they opt for candidates who put institutional integrity and independence first? And can Democrats capitalize on GOP infighting to reclaim the governor’s mansion?
One thing’s for certain: Georgia’s next governor will inherit a state at the crossroads of national debates about democracy, legitimacy, and the rule of law. The choices made in the coming months will reverberate far beyond the state’s borders, shaping the future of American politics for years to come.
