Sizing Up The 2022 Georgia Races
If there was any lingering doubt about whether Donald Trump would play a factor in the 2022 Georgia elections, that question can officially be put to rest.
Georgia governor Brian Kemp is likely to face a high-profile primary challenge and if he survives that a rematch against Democrat Stacy Abrams is all but likely in the works. Kemp has already drawn two announced primary challengers. Educator Kandiss Taylor, who ran in the U.S. Senate jungle primary in 2020, has officially entered the race as has Jonathan Garcia, described as an alt-right militia activist.
The shocking news in recent days, however, was the surprise announcement from Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan that he will not seek re-election next year. Duncan was on the opposite side (the wrong side according to some) of President Trump during the 2020 general election when the Lt. Governor openly talked about there being no voter fraud in the state.
Even before Duncan’s announcement, primary opponents were already lining up. Jeanne Seaver, a legal administrator and community activist and one-time U.S. representative candidate, along with Mack McGregor, a United States Marine veteran, had already announced their intentions to run in the 2022 Republican primary.
With Duncan now saying he will not be on the ballot, look for the flood gates to open in terms of candidates. There has been plenty of speculation about which race state senator Burt Jones would enter next year. Jones has been linked to several contests including governor and U.S. Senate, but with the Republican primary for Lt. Gov. now being an open contest, Jones will likely enter this race.
Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has already drawn two primary candidates with still more than a year before that contest. Jody Hice, who has represented Jasper County in congress since 2015, is running for Secretary of State next year. In addition, former Alpharetta mayor David Belle Isle, who ran in the 2018 primary, is set to compete against Raffensperger again.
Hice’s decision to not run for re-election in the 10th District will also likely mean a large pool in the Republican primary. Former congressman Paul Broun, has entered the race with several more all but sure to follow. Two Democrats are already in the race but the district remains heavily Republican. It would be a victory for Democrats even to close the gap in the general election. In recent general elections the race has not even been remotely close.
There remains plenty of speculation on the U.S. Senate race in 2022. Democrat Raphael Warnock will be up for re-election since he is actually completing the final two years of Johnny Isakson’s term. Warnock shocked many political experts in Georgia, as well as the country, by defeating Republican Kelly Loeffler last year.
The Warnock victory helped swing the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. His win, along with a victory by Jon Ossoff in his U.S. Senate race, has given hope to a lost cause of Democrats winning state-wide elections in Georgia. Even President Biden’s victory remains somewhat stunning in terms of picking Georgia’s electoral votes.
It does not appear that former President Trump and Kemp have officially mended fences. Rumblings continue that Vernon Jones, who switched parties and became a huge Trump ally, will enter the Republican primary for governor. If he is able to have the support of the former president then it becomes a race that could go either way. Jones has been active on Twitter taking Kemp to task on various issues.
Even with Kemp’s recent signing of a voter reform bill (i.e. a bill signed because Republicans did not like the outcome of some 2020 races), many Republican loyalists are still ready for him to go.
Once the 2022 primaries are over, Georgia voters are likely to have more than two choices in most races on their ballot. A recent court ruling threw out the requirement that third party candidates as well as independents gain a large number of signatures just to be on the ballot.
The law has been in effective for decades and has prevented any third-party candidates from being on the ballot for congressional races and contests for offices like state senate.
With more and more Georgians expressing dissatisfaction with both of the major parties, another alternative is just what the political doctor ordered.
Monticello native Chris Bridges has contributed to The Monticello News since 1988. You can email comments about this column to pchrisbridges@gmail.com.