By Paul Bolster
Democrats have picked their contender for governor in the November General Election, while two Republican candidates will head for a run-off on June 16.
Statewide, Keisha Lance Bottoms took 56% of the Democratic vote on May 19. She bested Jason Esteves (19%), Michael Thurmond (13%) and Geoff Duncan (7%). The precincts within the Porch Press area were out of sync with the statewide results. Jason Esteves won nearly every precinct in the area for a total of 4,835 votes to Bottoms’ 2,427 votes. In the adjoining neighborhoods of Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown, Bottoms had 704 votes to Esteves’ 1,412. (See the chart for individual precinct results.)
Local State Representative Tanya Miller won the Democratic nomination for Attorney General handily with more that 80% of the statewide vote. She will face Republican Brian Strickland in November.
Lydia Powell will be the Democratic challenger for State School Superintendent. Incumbent Republican Richard Woods did not receive 50% and will be in a runoff with Fred “Bubba” Longreen.
Voters accustomed to voting at the Grant Park Rec Center were sent on election day to other locations. “Planned construction” at the city-operated Rec Center was the reason given for the change, said Grant Park resident Mary Maynard. The Board of Elections gave little notice of the changes.
Five percent of the voters in the area chose a Republican ballot. These voters were also out of sync with the statewide totals. Brad Raffensperger won the most votes with 214. Rick Jackson had 132 votes, Burt Jones 97, and Chris Carr 68. Statewide, Jackson, who had 32% of the vote, will be in a run-off with Jones, who took 38% of the Republican vote. Fulton County gave Jackson a slight advantage with 31% to Jones’s 28%. Jackson and Jones will face each other June 16. Only the voters who chose a Republican ballot for the primary will be able to participate in this run off to nominate the Republican challenger for the governorship.
However, the June 16 ballot will also have four Democratic run-offs.
1. Fulton County Chair: Neither of the three candidates received the required 50% of the vote. Mo Ivory will face Robb Pitts in this run off. Ivory, whose commission district included the local neighborhoods bested Pitts in local precincts. She took 56% of the vote in 1A -Parkside, 61% in 1B – Ormewood, and 60% in 1T – Benteen.
2. Lieutanant Governor: The run off will be between two current state senators. Josh McLaren led with 40% of the vote while Nabilah Parks was close with 39%.
3. Commissioner of Insurance: De Andre Mathis will face Keisha Sean Waites.
4. Commissioner of Labor: Nikki Porcher will face Michaelle Michi Sanchez.
5. State House District 62, (formerly Tanya Miller’s seat) will be settled in a run-off on June 16. Kenn Collier led with 38%, followed by Kavon Arnold with 32%. In third place was Matt Rinker with 24% of the vote.
