Georgia gubernatorial election, 2026
Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics
ballotpedia.orgGeorgia’s 2026 governor’s race is already heating up, with several major figures in both parties signaling or officially filing for bids. In May 2025, Atlanta Magazine reported that the GOP field started with Attorney General Chris Carr, and that the first Democrats to move formally included state Sen. Jason Esteves (first to announce) and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (filed paperwork to raise money).[2]
Declared/early prominent candidates (as reported in 2025)
- Republicans
- Chris Carr (Attorney General) — reported as the first candidate of either party to enter the race.[2]
- Burt Jones (Lt. Gov.) — widely discussed as an early frontrunner; Atlanta Magazine noted that he appeared expected to announce soon after the legislative session but chose to wait.[2]
- Democrats
- Jason Esteves (state senator) — first Democrat reported to officially announce candidacy.[2]
- Keisha Lance Bottoms (former Atlanta mayor) — reported to have filed paperwork to begin fundraising.[2]
Other developments mentioned
- Atlanta Magazine also cited that Lucy McBath withdrew from the race to care for her husband, and that Jason Carter indicated he would not run again.[2]
- For context on how the field has grown beyond the initial names, one candidate-tracking page describes a November 3, 2026 general election date and lists additional entrants beyond Carr/Jones and the early Democrats (note: candidate list sites vary in accuracy and are best treated as “tracking,” not official sourcing).[3]
If you want, I can narrow it down
Tell me whether you mean Republican primary, Democratic primary, or the general election, and whether you want (a) candidate announcements, (b) fundraising/endorsements, or (c) polling/political impact—and I’ll focus the latest updates accordingly.