ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia is preparing for a blockbuster primary on Tuesday as Republicans look for a challenger to Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and choose between several candidates in a high-spending slugfest for the party's nomination for governor.
In the Senate race, Reps. Mike Collins and Buddy Carter are playing up their conservative records on Capitol Hill, while former college football coach Derek Dooley pitches himself as a political outsider.
The governor's race has been transformed by healthcare billionaire Rick Jackson, who has spent more than twice as much as any other primary candidate in Georgia history. He's facing off against fellow Republicans Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump; Brad Raffensperger, the secretary of state; and Chris Carr, the state attorney general.
Democratic voters are also considering who should lead the party's effort to win the governor's office for the first time since 1998. The candidates include Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor; Geoff Duncan, a Republican-turned-Democrat who served as lieutenant governor; Jason Esteves, a former state senator; and Mike Thurmond, a former state labor commissioner.
It's possible that none of these races could be settled on Tuesday if no candidates win a majority of the vote. Top two finishers would advance to a June 16 runoff.
