ATLANTA — Primary day looms large in the Peach State as Georgia boasts half a dozen races with statewide and even national implications.
As he seems to with everything in politics these days, former President Donald Trump looms large in the elections, with his endorsements tilting the balance of one race and not one but two prominent names in his Atlanta election interference trial facing challengers.
While the primaries include dozens of federal, statewide, and local elections across the state, here are six to watch.
3rd Congressional District
Perhaps the most closely watched race on the GOP side comes in Georgia’s 3rd Congressional District, where the strength of Trump’s endorsements will be tested once again.
Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA) is retiring after four terms, leaving the heavily Republican district up for grabs. Slightly redrawn following the 2020 census, it stretches from Bremen and Carrollton south to Columbus along the western border with Alabama, cutting over to include many of Atlanta’s southern suburbs.
Trump has endorsed Brian Jack, who was a campaign adviser and White House political director in his administration but brings little experience in Georgia politics. Jack’s campaign signs accordingly read “Trump endorsed” above his name, and he is also backed by Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA).
Four other men hope to win the race, most of them carrying experience at the state level.
Mike Dugan is a Carrollton native and retired Army veteran who was a state senator for a decade before leaving the gig in January to run for Congress. From 2019 to 2022, he was the state Senate’s majority leader, working closely with Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA).
Another former state senator in the race is Mike Crane, who last held that office in 2017. Crane is a Georgia Tech graduate whose career has been spent in the real estate and construction industries.
Jim Bennett, a former police officer and Republican activist, and Philip Singleton, who was a state representative until 2023, round out the GOP slate.
Given the crowded field, the race is likely to go to a runoff, which will be held on June 18. The winner will face the Democratic candidate, who will either be Val Almonord or Maura Keller.
State Supreme Court
John Barrow spent 10 years in the House of Representatives as a Blue Dog Democrat in an increasingly Republican-leaning Georgia district before finally losing a reelection bid in 2014. Now he’s seeking a comeback as the state becomes more competitive for his party once again.
Barrow is running for a seat on the Georgia Supreme Court against Justice Andrew Pinson, whom Kemp appointed to the post in 2022. He’s running largely on the topic of abortion, saying he believes Georgia’s constitution protects the controversial practice.
The fact that Barrow is running at all is unusual — Georgia Supreme Court justices are rarely challenged, and three others who are up for reelection this year are running unopposed.
But Barrow is betting that abortion access, which has been a winner for Democrats in other states, can get him a victory. Kemp and conservative-aligned political groups are spending heavily to back Pinson.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis
Fani Willis has had plenty of uncomfortable times in the spotlight this year and will sweat out a primary challenger Tuesday night as she hopes to win a second term.
Willis took office by defeating longtime Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard in a Democratic primary in 2020. Her performance in the Trump trial is not likely to hurt her with Fulton County voters as the county is home to Atlanta and leans solidly to the left.
Christian Wise Smith ran during the 2020 cycle as well but failed to make the runoff. He now has a sole shot at Willis, though a poll run by Atlanta’s local Fox affiliate showed the incumbent getting 79% support.
Judge Scott McAfee in Atlanta Trump case
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee is seeking reelection while overseeing the high-profile Trump election interference case. Only 34 years old, he’s going all-out to win, telling the New York Times that he has attended nearly three dozen campaign events since March, including three candidate forums, a parade, and seven church services, among other activities.
Needless to say, McAfee enjoys a major edge in name recognition, given that national news outlets have been broadcasting his courtroom for weeks on end. But he’s taking no chances as he tries to defeat civil rights lawyer and radio host Robert Patillo II.
McAfee was appointed to his post by Kemp early last year, but the race is officially nonpartisan.
6th Congressional District
Georgia’s high-income 6th District has seen major shifts in both its geography and its politics in recent years. It was a Republican-leaning area north of Atlanta until Trump’s remake of the GOP began turning off moderate suburbanites.
Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) narrowly lost a special election there in 2017 to Republican Karen Handel, who was in turn defeated by Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA) the next year. McBath won reelection in 2020, and then redistricting turned things upside down.
McBath won a race to represent the neighboring 7th District in 2022, but she is now back in the 6th District and hoping to defeat Cobb County Commissioner Jerica Richardson and state Rep. Mandisha A. Thomas in the Democratic primary. However, the redrawn 6th District is rated R+11 in the Cook Partisan Voting Index, meaning incumbent Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) will have a leg up in November.
13th Congressional District
Redistricting also brought turmoil to Rep. David Scott (D-GA), who has been in office for 20 years representing Atlanta’s southern and western suburbs. The redrawn district is strongly Democratic, but at 78 years old, Scott has been deemed vulnerable by a slew of challengers.
No less than six opponents have lined up to try and take out Scott, including Marcus Flowers, Brian Johnson, Uloma Ekpete, Rashid Malid, and Karen Rene.
The knock on Scott reflects criticisms of President Joe Biden — that he’s too old and too entrenched too carry out his duties. Scott skipped an Atlanta Press Club debate a few weeks ago, adding to the criticism.
But experience has its advantages, as Scott is the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee and could lead the important committee if Republicans lose control of the lower chamber.