Ask Georgia Democrats and Republicans who they want to be the next lieutenant governor, and they’ll give you a surprisingly common answer: They don’t know.
Large majorities of likely voters from both major political parties said they have not decided who they’d vote for in Tuesday’s primary election, according to a new poll from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. That means no candidates are breaking through in a crowded field in both parties. But it also means just about anyone could sneak into a runoff and become their party’s nominee for the state’s second-highest office in November.
The office of lieutenant governor is a relatively new position in Georgia, created in 1945 by an amendment to the state constitution. Georgia has only had 13 lieutenant governors in its history.
Yet unlike most states, the office comes with real power in Georgia. The lieutenant governor presides over the Georgia Senate — a powerful post that comes with substantial influence over legislation. But much of that power depends on who wields it and which party is in control of the chamber.
Despite that real and potential power, the race for lieutenant governor is not capturing the attention of likely voters, according to the AJC survey. Three Democrats and seven Republicans are running.
In the Democratic primary, about 13% of likely primary voters said they supported former state Sen. Nabilah Parkes of Duluth, while Atlanta accountant Richard Wright and state Sen. Josh McLaurin of Sandy Springs each earned the support of about 9% of respondents.
Meanwhile, about 70% of Democratic voters said they didn’t know who they would vote for. In short, the Democratic race is a dead heat.
The Republican race isn’t any clearer. About 62% of Republican respondents said they didn’t know who they would vote for.
Former state Sen. John F. Kennedy has the support of 11% of likely GOP voters, while former Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch has the support of about 7%. Three other candidates — state Rep. David Clark, state Sen. Greg Dolezal and state Sen. Blake Tillery — have between 5% and 6% support.
Two other candidates — Brenda Nelson-Porter and Takosha Swan — earned the support of 2% or less of voters.
All of the candidates have struggled to get voters’ attention amid a furious campaign season featuring multiple highly competitive races with national implications. Three Republicans are locked in a tight race for the U.S. Senate. Plus, the top two Republican candidates for governor and their allies have spent more than $100 million so far in a contest that is dominating TV advertising space.
Still, the races have been marked by feisty campaigning. On the Democratic side, McLaurin has accused Parkes of neglecting her constituents and being afraid to meet with ordinary Georgians on the campaign trail. Parkes, in turn, has accused McLaurin of being too cozy with Republicans. And Wright has sought to portray himself as a moderate Democrat who could work with the Republicans, who are likely to maintain a Senate majority.
Among Republicans, Kennedy has portrayed himself as a business-friendly conservative who can get things done. Dolezal has used inflammatory social media posts and a Senate investigation of prominent Democrats Stacey Abrams and Fani Willis to pursue MAGA voters.
Clark has also portrayed himself as an outsider, while Gooch has blasted “woke liberals” and Tillery has touted his tax-cutting and budget experience.
With so many candidates fighting for votes, the race for lieutenant governor likely is headed for a runoff for one or both parties.
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