Georgia gubernatorial election, 2018 (May 22 Democratic primary)

Elections in Georgia, 2018

* General election: Nov. 6
* Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9[1]
* Early voting: Oct. 15 - Nov. 2
* Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

* Online registration: Yes
* Same-day registration: No
* Voter ID: Photo ID required
* Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

* * *

On the ballot: U.S. House • Governor • Lt. Gov • Attorney General • Secretary of State • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Special state legislative • Supreme court • Appellate courts • Local judges • State ballot measures • School boards • Municipal • Democratic primaries • Republican primaries

<- 2014

Governor of Georgia

Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 9, 2018Last day to qualify for Primary/Nonpartisan and Independent/Political Body Candidates for November General Election
Primary: May 22, 2018
Primary runoff: July 24, 2018 (if needed)
General: November 6, 2018
General runoff: December 4, 2018 (if needed)

* * *

Pre-election incumbent(s):
Nathan Deal (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Georgia
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Toss-up
Inside Elections: Tilt Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas and triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Georgia
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant governor
Attorney general
Secretary of state
Agriculture commissioner
Insurance commissioner
Labor commissioner
Superintendent of public instruction
Public service commissioner

Former state House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams defeated former state Rep. Stacey Evans to win the Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nomination on May 22, 2018.

In a state where voters have not elected a Democratic governor since 1998, Abrams and Evans defined their campaigns by how they planned to compete in the general election.

The primary was a test case for how Democrats should position themselves to win Republican-leaning states and was described as "the race that nobody is talking about that everyone should be talking about when it comes to the future of both parties" by Washington Examiner columnist Salena Zito.[2]

Abrams' approach was to mobilize black voters who do not normally turn out in nonpresidential election years alongside white liberals.[3] The Abrams strategy mirrored the path that Doug Jones (D) took when he won the 2017 U.S. Senate special election in Alabama with high turnout in urban areas.[4]

Evans' strategy was to appeal to white moderates who lived in suburban and rural areas and maybe even voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.[3] Former Gov. Roy Barnes (D), who endorsed Evans, said that she spoke to voters concerned "about how they're going to pay for their kids' and grandkids' college...about their healthcare premiums, and if their wages are enough to cover it all."[5]

The candidates generally agreed on policy, but they criticized each other over past votes on the HOPE Scholarship, gun policy, and state takeovers of failing school districts.

Abrams faced Brian Kemp, who won a competitive Republican primary, in the general election. Incumbent Nathan Deal (R) could not seek re-election due to term limits, leaving an open seat.

A Democratic victory in the general election would have increased the party's influence over redistricting following the 2020 census. Georgia state law permits the governor to veto the state legislature's proposed U.S. House and state legislative district maps.[6] Political observers rated the gubernatorial election Likely Republican.[7]

Abrams would have been the first woman to be elected governor of Georgia and the first black woman elected as governor of any state.[8]

## Contents

* 1 Candidates and election results
* 2 Election updates
* 2.1 Endorsements
* 2.2 Polling
* 2.3 Candidate forums
* 2.4 Satellite spending
* 2.5 Campaign finance
* 3 Candidates
* 3.1 Stacey Abrams
* 3.2 Stacey Evans
* 4 Political reaction to outcome
* 5 Timeline
* 6 Endorsements
* 7 Campaign finance
* 7.1 Differences in candidate finance strategies
* 7.1.1 Spending
* 7.1.2 Fundraising
* 8 Satellite spending
* 8.1 EMILY's List and Black PAC Georgia
* 8.2 Power PAC
* 8.3 Working Families Party
* 8.4 Susan Sandler-sponsored turnout effort
* 9 Campaign strategies and tactics
* 9.1 Voter targeting in general election
* 9.1.1 Abrams
* 9.1.2 Evans
* 9.2 Primary voter racial demographics
* 9.3 Relationships
* 9.3.1 Atlanta mayors
* 9.4 Campaign ads
* 9.4.1 Stacey Abrams
* 9.4.2 Stacey Evans
* 10 How did the candidates differ?
* 10.1 Stances on legislation in Georgia General Assembly
* 10.1.1 2018 tax cuts
* 10.1.2 HOPE Scholarship
* 10.1.3 Gun policy
* 10.1.4 Boycott, Divest, Sanction movement
* 10.1.5 Opportunity School District constitutional amendment
* 11 Debates and forums
* 11.1 February 22 debate
* 12 Campaign themes and policy stances
* 12.1 Stacey Abrams
* 12.1.1 April 24 op-ed on personal finances
* 12.2 Stacey Evans
* 12.3 Issues
* 12.3.1 Education
* 13 Polls
* 14 Noteworthy events
* 14.1 Netroots Nation protest
* 15 Race ratings
* 16 Race background
* 17 State overview
* 17.1 Partisan control
* 17.1.1 Congressional delegation
* 17.1.2 State executives
* 17.1.3 State legislature
* 17.1.4 Trifecta status
* 17.2 2018 elections
* 17.3 Demographics
* 18 State election history
* 18.1 Historical elections
* 18.1.1 Presidential elections, 2000-2016
* 18.1.2 U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
* 18.1.3 Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
* 18.1.4 Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
* 18.1.5 Trifectas, 1992-2017
* 19 Pivot Counties
* 19.1 Presidential results by legislative district
* 20 Recent news
* 21 See also
* 22 External links
* 23 Footnotes

## Candidates and election results[edit]

Stacey Abrams defeated Stacey Evans in the Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia on May 22, 2018.

Democratic primary election

#####  Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Stacey Abrams |

76.4

| 424,305

| Stacey Evans |

23.6

| 130,784

* * *

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

| Total votes: 555,089

|
|

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

## Election updates[edit]

### Endorsements[edit]

* May 21, 2018: Hillary Clinton (D) endorsed Stacey Abrams.
* May 17, 2018: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) endorsed Stacey Abrams.
* May 2, 2018: California Sen. Kamala Harris (D) endorsed Stacey Abrams.

### Polling[edit]

* May 17, 2018: A FOX 5 Atlanta/Opinion Savvy poll showed Abrams leading Evans 58-19 with 23 percent of voters undecided.
* May 15, 2018: An 11Alive/Survey USA poll showed Abrams leading Evans 43-24 with 33 percent of voters undecided.
* April 19, 2018: A University of Georgia poll showed Abrams leading Evans 33-15 with 52 percent of voters undecided.

### Candidate forums[edit]

* April 24, 2018: The candidates met at a forum at Columbus State University. See full coverage here.

### Satellite spending[edit]

* April 25, 2018: EMILY's List and Black PAC Georgia announced a joint campaign in support of Stacey Abrams. The campaign featured the television advertisement "We Believe."
* April 3, 2018: The Working Families Party announced it would spend in the high six-figures to canvass 200,000 voters in the southern Atlanta metro area in support of Stacey Abrams' candidacy.[9]

### Campaign finance[edit]

* April 8, 2018: Campaign finance disclosures from the March 31 deadline showed Abrams leading in contributions ($3,280,652 to $2,617,889) and spending ($2,617,889 to $1,131,367); Evans led in cash on hand ($1,486,522 to $898,553).

## Candidates[edit]

See also: Statistics on gubernatorial candidates, 2018

###  Stacey Abrams[edit]

The former Georgia state House minority leader, Stacey Abrams, sought to win the governorship by building a coalition of black voters and white liberals, most of whom live in the Atlanta area and other urban centers in Georgia.[10] “[We] are so close to [racial] parity, and no other state is positioned where we are in terms of the composition of that parity," Abrams said. "We have the voters ... to build a brand-new coalition we haven’t really seen in a Southern state.”[11]

Abrams' campaign was supported by three of Georgia's Democratic U.S. House members--U.S. Reps. John Lewis, Hank Johnson, and David Scott; national figures like former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander and Our Revolution President Nina Turner; and progressive organizations like MoveOn.org and the Working Families Party.

Some national Democratic organizations commented positively on Abrams' focus on minority voters. “Politics is changing in America, and Abrams’ path to victory reflects the changing demographics and enthusiasm,” said Dan Cantor, national chairman of the Working Families Party. On the other hand, Georgia-based political strategist Paul Begala, who supports Democratic primary challenger Stacey Evans in the race, said the focus on people of color at the expense of white voters was “an utterly false choice.”[3]

Abrams served as House minority leader from 2011 to 2017 and, prior to that, had been a member of the state legislature since 2007. She worked as an attorney before serving in the state legislature. She received her bachelor's degree from Spelman College, her master's degree from the University of Texas, and her J.D. from Yale University. She was born in Gulfport, Mississippi.[12]

###  Stacey Evans[edit]

A former state representative from Cobb County, Stacey Evans looked to capture the votes of reliable Democratic voters as well as moderate Republicans and rural Georgians, particularly those displeased with President Donald Trump (R), in her bid for governor. "We must have conviction in our message," Evans said. "But we must also wield that conviction to build the broadest coalition possible. And spread our message far and wide. Not just to those who already believe."[13]

The central policy issue Evans invoked was the HOPE Scholarship, a Georgia program established in the 1990s to use lottery proceeds to pay college tuition for high school students with B averages. In 2011, the HOPE Scholarship was changed so that only students with certain standardized test scores would receive full tuition benefits, while the benefits for other eligible students would be based on lottery revenues. Evans called for reverting back to the pre-2011 HOPE program and criticized Stacey Abrams for helping to craft the changes. Abrams said she had no choice due to the weak 2011 economy and that her actions staved off larger benefit cuts.[14]

Evans' supporters included former Gov. Roy Barnes (D), political strategist Paul Begala, and a number of state House Democrats.

Evans was first elected to the Georgia state House in 2010. Prior to that, she worked as an attorney and was involved in a $495 million whistleblower lawsuit against dialysis chain DaVita Healthcare Partners. She used money from that settlement to create a $500,000 scholarship fund for first-generation college students at the University of Georgia Law School, which she graduated from in 2003. She attended UGA for her undergraduate education on a HOPE Scholarship. She was born in Ringgold, Georgia.[15]

## Political reaction to outcome[edit]

* Fortune: "Before the midterm elections, black women hold only three statewide offices, and there are 19 black women in Congress. Black women make up 7.3% of the U.S. population, but less than 5% of politicians, according to a new report by Higher Heights Leadership Fund and the Center for American Women and Politics. Abrams is just one of several black women who have run and won their primary elections this midterm cycle so far. D.D. Adams, Alma Adams and Linda Coleman of North Carolina all became their district’s Democratic nominee for House representative on Tuesday. That means half of the House nominees in North Carolina are black women. Senator Kamala Harris, California’s first black senator, said in a statement on Tuesday that black women’s nominations in these elections are a sign of progress in America."[16]

* Greg Bluestein, Atlanta Journal Constitution: "That margin was a shocker. Abrams was the odds-on favorite to win the primary -- even her opponent, Stacey Evans, released an internal poll showing her trailing a few days ago -- but a 53-point victory?!? She might as well have driven a steamroller over her opponent. Abrams was helped by a string of factors: The tug of history for her quest to be the nation's first black elected female governor. Her grassroots mobilization strategy targeting left-leaning voters. Her "unapologetic progressive" agenda -- which defied a generation of more centrist stances from top state Democrats. A surge of outside cash and support, culminating with Hillary Clinton's endorsement on Monday. And an opponent who largely staked her campaign on a message about a Georgia scholarship that didn't resonate with voters."[17]

* New York Magazine: "But the very different strategy pursued by Stacey Abrams looks like the future of biracial Democratic politics in the South: a strongly progressive (though not abrasively so) African-American who can expand turnout among a rising minority population while still appealing to increasingly liberal white Democratic and independent voters as well. Interestingly, in the gubernatorial primary Abrams faced the relative novelty of a white progressive opponent in Stacey Evans, who differed little from Abrams on issues but whose entire campaign was based on the old strategy of a one-way biracial coalition (black voters supporting white candidates) and outreach to white swing voters. In a Democratic electorate that is now over 60 percent African-American, it’s not surprising that Abrams won. But her better than three-to-one margin over Evans showed she had built her own biracial coalition without a white skin — or conspicuous centrism. One of the moving parts in this development was explained by Sean McElwee in a New York Times op-ed this week: white Democrats are becoming not only more progressive, but more responsive to the kinds of racial-justice concerns their fellow Democrats from minority backgrounds care about. Within the Democratic Party, racial divisions are simply less compelling than they once were, even as minority politicians are taking a more active and visible role."[18]

* Melissa Harris-Perry and Dorian Warren: "While historic and decisive, it shouldn’t be surprising that a black Democrat defeated a white Democrat, Stacey Evans, in a Southern primary. Abrams is what a Southern Democrat looks like....These are exciting positions from a Southern gubernatorial candidate, but decades of political science research shows that black mayors from the 1970s through 1990s made little to no difference to poor folks and black folks in cities when it came to economic gains.

These new black mayors may have wanted to do more, but they were constrained by structural realities outside of their control — deindustrialization, growing income inequality, persistent residential segregation, resegregation of public schools and limited levers of urban governance at their disposal. In effect, all they really seemed to do was spend more on police and fire departments, and sometimes increase the numbers of minority contractors. But they were never able to redistribute city resources to the residents most in need of vital services and economic inclusion. These structural constraints historically facing progressive black executives temper our enthusiasm of Abrams’ ability to implement her progressive vision. Temper, but not dampen.

The election of Governor Stacey Abrams would matter on a second level-politics. By politics, we mean empowered grassroots communities using networks and organizations to hold elected officials accountable — pushing them to hold fast to their promises. Media attention exploded with recognition of Abrams the morning after her election, but she is not a newcomer, and neither are the hundreds of thousands of Georgia citizens who cast ballots for her...

If Abrams can win the general election and become the first black woman governor in U.S. History, in a Southern state that sits in the heart of the old Confederacy, it will be a powerful symbol of the capacity of black women to be the face — and not just the backbone or helpmate — of American politics. This might prove the most crucial outcome of an Abrams’ victory. Since 2016, the Democratic Party has had an ongoing debate about whether to try to win over white working class voters or focus on the base of the New American Majority. A definitive Abrams win in the general election could settle that dispute for the 2020 cycle."[19]

## Timeline[edit]

* May 21, 2018: Hillary Clinton (D) endorsed Stacey Abrams.
* May 17, 2018: A FOX 5 Atlanta/Opinion Savvy poll showed Abrams leading Evans 58-19 with 23 percent of voters undecided.
* May 17, 2018: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) endorsed Stacey Abrams.
* May 15, 2018: An 11Alive/Survey USA poll showed Abrams leading Evans 43-24 with 33 percent of voters undecided.
* May 4, 2018: Stacey Evans released her third television ad. It criticized Abrams for supporting changes to the HOPE Scholarship in 2011.
* May 2, 2018: California Sen. Kamala Harris (D) endorsed Stacey Abrams.
* April 25, 2018: EMILY's List and Black PAC Georgia announced a joint campaign in support of Stacey Abrams. The campaign featured the television advertisement "We Believe."
* April 24, 2018: The candidates met at a forum at Columbus State University. See full coverage here.
* April 19, 2018: A University of Georgia poll showed Abrams leading Evans 33-15 with 52 percent of voters undecided.
* April 18, 2018: Georgia Equality endorsed Stacey Abrams.
* April 16, 2018: Planned Parenthood endorsed Stacey Abrams.
* April 16, 2018: Stacey Abrams began airing her "Guys Like Me" and "Boundless Belief" campaign ads.[20]
* April 8, 2018: Campaign finance disclosures from the March 31 deadline showed Abrams leading in contributions ($3,280,652 to $2,617,889) and spending ($2,617,889 to $1,131,367); Evans led in cash on hand ($1,486,522 to $898,553).
* April 6, 2018: Stacey Evans began airing her first television campaign advertisement.
* April 3, 2018: The Working Families Party announced it would spend in the high six-figures to canvass 200,000 voters in the southern Atlanta metro area in support of Stacey Abrams' candidacy.[9]
* March 12, 2018: The Georgia Association of Educators endorsed Stacey Abrams.
* March 6, 2018: Donor Susan Sandler announced that she would spend $1 million to aid the Abrams campaign and had secured $1 million in contributions from other donors.
* March 2, 2018: A Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy poll showed Abrams leading Evans 29-17 with 54 percent of voters undecided.
* March 2, 2018: Former Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.) endorsed Stacey Evans.
* July 24, 2017: U.S. Rep. John Lewis endorsed Stacey Abrams.
* July 13, 2017: Former Ohio state Sen. and president of Our Revolution Nina Turner (D) endorsed Stacey Abrams.
* June 26, 2017: Former Gov. Roy Barnes endorsed Stacey Evans.

## Endorsements[edit]

Democratic candidate endorsements

Endorsement  | Date  | Abrams | Evans
Federal officials
Hillary Clinton[21] | May 21, 2018 | ✔  |
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)[22] |  May 17, 2018  |  ✔  |
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.)[23] | May 2, 2018 | ✔  |
Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.)[24] |  August 23, 2017  |  ✔  |
Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.)[25] |  July 24, 2017  |  ✔  |
Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.)[25] | Unknown |  ✔  |
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.)[26] | Unknown | ✔  |
National figures
Dr. Joseph Lowery[27] |  August 21, 2017  |  ✔  |
State Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Texas)[28] |  August 3, 2017  |  ✔  |
Former state Sen. Nina Turner (D-Oh.)[29] |  July 13, 2017  |  ✔  |
Former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander[30] |  June 5, 2017  |  ✔  |
Former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.)[31][32] |  May 2, 2017  |  ✔  |
Former Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-Mich.)[31][32] |  May 2, 2017  |  ✔  |
State figures
Former Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.)[33] |  March 2, 2018  |  |  ✔
State Rep. Roger Bruce (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
State Rep. David Dreyer (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
Former state Rep. Virgil Fludd (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
State Rep. Spencer Frye (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
Former state Rep. Ladawn Blackett Jones (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
State Rep. Sheila Jones (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
State Rep. Dar'shun Kendrick (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
Former state Rep. Ronnie Mabra (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
State Sen. Elena Parent (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
State Sen. Michael A. Rhett (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
State Rep. Michael Smith (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
State Rep. Erica Thomas (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
State Rep. Keisha Waites (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
State Rep. Earnest Williams (D)[34] |  August 15, 2017  |  |  ✔
Former Gov. Roy E. Barnes (D)[35] |  June 26, 2017  |  |  ✔
State Rep. Al Williams (D)[31][32] |  May 2, 2017  |  ✔  |
Local figures
Cobb County Commissioner Lisa Cupid[36] |  October 25, 2017  |  |  ✔
DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston[37] |  June 14, 2017  |  |  ✔
Activist Susan Clymer[31][32] |  May 2, 2017  |  ✔  |
Organizations
Georgia Equality[38] | April 18, 2018 | ✔ |
Planned Parenthood[39] | April 16, 2018 | ✔  |
Georgia Association of Educators[40] |  March 12, 2018  |  ✔  |
People for the American Way[41] |  February 15, 2018  |  ✔  |
Georgia Federation for Teachers[42] | January 30, 2018 |  | ✔
Mijente[43] |  December 12, 2017  |  ✔  |
Giffords[44] |  November 9, 2017  |  ✔  |
MoveOn.org[45] |  November 21, 2017  |  ✔  |
Working Families Party[45] |  November 21, 2017  |  ✔  |
Teamsters Local 728[46] |  October 30, 2017  |  ✔  |
Georgia AFL-CIO[47] | October 21, 2017 | ✔  |
The Daily Kos[48] |  October 4, 2017  |  ✔  |
NARAL[49] |  August 4, 2017  |  ✔  |
Let America Vote[50] |  August 2, 2017  |  ✔  |
Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union[51] |  August 2, 2017  |  ✔  |
EMILY's List[52] |  June 3, 2017  |  ✔  |

## Campaign finance[edit]

Following are campaign finance figures obtained from the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission's website covering all contributions to and expenditures by the Abrams and Evans campaigns as of January 31, 2018.[53]

### Differences in candidate finance strategies[edit]

#### Spending[edit]

* Stacey Abrams: In what Greg Bluestein of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution called a "gutsy strategy that defies conventional campaign wisdom," the Abrams campaign spent more of her campaign funds early on get-out-the vote efforts and grassroots engagement rather than saving funds to spend on broadcast advertising closer to the primary date.[54]

* Stacey Evans: Evans pursued what Bluestein said was "a traditional strategy of stockpiling cash for a coordinated wave of broadcast ads and voter mobilization closer to the vote."[55]

#### Fundraising[edit]

* Stacey Abrams: Abrams brought in contributions from more than 14,000 donors in 2017.[55] According to an analysis on GeorgiaPol.com, less than 40 percent of Abrams' fundraising came from in-state sources as of the February 2018 filing deadline. Reuters reported that George Soros and his sons donated over $60,000 to Abrams' campaign.[3]

* Stacey Evans: Evans dipped into her personal wealth and lent her campaign $1.25 million in 2017. This allowed her to keep pace with Abrams, who brought in more in personal donations.[55] According to an analysis on GeorgiaPol.com, about 90 percent of Evans' fundraising came from in-state sources as of the February 2018 filing deadline.[56]

## Satellite spending[edit]

EMILY's List, Black PAC, and Power PAC spent about $2 million running ads for Stacey Abrams.[57]

### EMILY's List and Black PAC Georgia[edit]

EMILY's List and Black PAC Georgia announced a joint campaign in support of Stacey Abrams on April 25, 2018. The campaign featured the television advertisement "We Believe," which is shown below. The effort was part of the Women Vote! program launched by EMILY's List.[58]

"We Believe," released April 26, 2018

### Power PAC[edit]

On May 14, Power PAC released this campaign ad supporting Stacey Abrams.

### Working Families Party[edit]

On April 3, 2018, the Working Families Party announced it would spend in the high six-figures to canvass 200,000 voters in the southern Atlanta metro area in support of Abrams' candidacy.[9]

### Susan Sandler-sponsored turnout effort[edit]

On March 6, 2018, donor Susan Sandler announced that she would spend $1 million to help elect Stacey Abrams (D) and had secured an additional $1 million in funding from other donors. The stated purpose of the funds was the recruitment of 250 organizers for get-out-the-vote efforts aiming to encourage at least 80,000 African American voters in rural areas to participate in the primary. Sandler had previously conducted satellite spending on behalf of Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) in the 2017 special election. Sandler said in a strategy memo that "The upset election of Doug Jones in the Alabama Senate race in December gave a glimpse of a new electoral equation." Sandler added that victory in the general election could lead to more Democratic victories in the South, including a potential victory in Georgia in the 2020 presidential election: "If we elect Stacey, we will show that we know how to win in the South without compromising our principles and beliefs."[59]

## Campaign strategies and tactics[edit]

### Voter targeting in general election[edit]

Abrams and Evans had different strategies for winning the general election, leading Washington Examiner columnist Salena Zito to call the race one that "will have the biggest impact on the future of the national [Democratic Party]" as it seeks a new direction following its defeat in the 2016 presidential election. Zito wrote that "Evans has a message designed to appeal to rural, independent and conservative voters, and Abrams stands for a future in Georgia that is centered in urban Atlanta."[2]

Although the candidates had differences in voter focus, Daniel Strauss of Politico wrote that they were generally "seeking to build similar coalitions" by "running as unapologetic liberals who see a path to victory guided by tapping into black voters, whom they see as an electoral sleeping giant — and courting suburban whites who usually vote Republican but are repelled by President Donald Trump."[26]

#### Abrams[edit]

Abrams argued that the Democratic Party would be better served by focusing on turnout among existing Democratic voters, particularly minorities. "It’s not because we don’t have Democrats...It’s not because we don’t have the right message and mission. It’s not because we can’t do the math," Abrams said. "It’s the fact that we keep trying to convince Republicans to be Democrats instead of getting Democrats to be Democrats. That’s why we lose."[60]

She told Politico, “I know that to win this election, we have to be granular. We have to go to voters directly and have conversations, and I would say that in previous years on the Democratic side of the aisle, we have not gone deep enough. We have ignored potential voters because they did not fit a national narrative of the type of voter we should have. We ignored communities of color. We ignored progressive communities that were not in metro areas.”[26]

According to Politico, black voters made up 30 percent of voters heading into the election. 41 percent of black voters cast ballots in the 2014 elections compared to 47 percent of white voters.[26]

#### Evans[edit]

In order to appeal to independent voters and Democrats who became Republicans in the decades prior to 2018, Evans' campaign focused on her upbringing in rural Georgia and the importance of hope—a message that she said would appeal even to voters who have not supported Democratic candidates in past elections: "This is something everyone understands. Everyone has felt the power of hope – and everybody has felt what it feels like to feel hopeless." Evans said. "I have faith in the electorate that they will be looking at our message, and decide who will wake up every day to fight for them. And that answer will be me."[61]

She told Politico, “We’ve got to have that increased minority, base turnout. But we also saw in both [Virginia and Alabama] a huge increase in the white vote, particularly from suburban areas, coming over for Democrats. We will not likely win the northwest and northeast Georgia counties, but we cannot perform as poorly as we have in the past and be afraid to compete for those voters.”[26]

### Primary voter racial demographics[edit]

Stacey Abrams' campaign expected that strong black turnout in the primary election would give her an advantage in the Democratic primary. In the 2016 Democratic presidential primary between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, 62 percent of the primary electorate was non-white and 51 percent was black, according to CNN exit polls.[62]

A leaked memo from the Abrams campaign in February 2018 said the following: "We have been pleased to see that Abrams has a structural advantage in the primary electorate that is expected to be over 65% African American (African American women will likely make up roughly 45% overall), and in the informed ballot beats Evans in all demographic and geographic groups."

### Relationships[edit]

#### Atlanta mayors[edit]

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who replaced Reed in January 2018, signaled that they supported Evans over Abrams.

Reed had a private meeting with Evans in July 2017, after which he said, "She has a powerful message." Jim Galloway of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said that Reed implicitly backing Evans was not a surprise because Abrams had served as campaign manager for one of his opponents in the 2009 mayoral race.[63]

Evans endorsed Bottoms in the 2017 mayoral race, leading Bottoms to say, “You can glean from us standing together how I feel about Stacey and how I feel about her campaign for governor, and when the time is appropriate I look forward to standing with her as well.”[64]

An Atlanta political strategist said that Bottoms' alliance with Reed made it unlikely that she would endorse Abrams in the race.

“It would be foolish, if not career suicide, for Bottoms to endorse Stacey Evans,” pro-Abrams strategist Steve Phillips told Buzzfeed. “From Harold Washington in Chicago to the presidential campaigns of Jesse Jackson and Barack Obama, black voters ignored elected officials and embraced inspiring black candidates. That's what's going to happen in Georgia, where African Americans are the majority of voters.”[64]

### Campaign ads[edit]

#### Stacey Abrams[edit]

Hillary Clinton recorded the following robocall for Abrams the day before the election:

Power PAC released this television ad supporting Abrams on May 14, 2018.

Black PAC released this television ad opposing Stacey Evans and supporting Abrams in May 2018.

The "We Believe" ad was launched as part of a voter mobilization effort by EMILY's List and Black PAC Georgia on April 25, 2018.

"We Believe," released April 26, 2018

Stacey Abrams began airing her "Guys Like Me" and "Boundless Belief" televsion campaign ads on April 16, 2018.[20]

"Boundless Belief," released April 17, 2018

"Guys Like Me," released April 13, 2018

The following ads were found on Abrams' campaign website.

"Thrive," released June 3, 2017

"Economic Security for Every Georgian," released February 16, 2018

#### Stacey Evans[edit]

Evans released a campaign ad on May 17 that called for restoring the original eligibility requirement for the HOPE Scholarship.

"The Stacey Evans Story: Part Three," released May 17, 2018

Evans released her third television ad on May 4, 2018. It criticized Abrams for supporting changes to the HOPE Scholarship in 2011.

"Why?" released May 4, 2018

Evans released her second television ad on April 20, 2018.[65]

"The Stacey Evans Story: Part Two," released April 20, 2018

Evans released her first television ad on April 6, 2018.[66]

"The Stacey Evans Story: Part One," released April 6, 2018

Evans' released her "16 Homes" ad in June 2017. Buzzfeed News said it was a "powerful rendering of her life story" that "got the attention of prominent Democrats, and decisively shifted the trajectory of the primary, once considered Abrams’s to lose."[67]

"16 Homes," released June 12, 2017

## How did the candidates differ?[edit]

### Stances on legislation in Georgia General Assembly[edit]

#### 2018 tax cuts[edit]

In 2018, the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation that decreased state income taxes by an estimated $330 million over the next five years. The state also declined to expand Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act, which both candidates mentioned in conjunction with the tax cuts.[68]

* Stacey Abrams: Abrams said she would reverse the tax cuts and put the $330 million revenue into a Medicaid expansion program.
* Stacey Evans: Evans said she would keep the tax cuts, saying, "any time we can give tax relief to Georgians, we should. But we have to be really responsible.” She said she would fund Medicaid expansion through spending cuts elsewhere in the budget.

#### HOPE Scholarship[edit]

This bill was passed in the 2011 legislative session. It made changes to the HOPE Scholarship program, which was designed in the early 1990s to pay in-state college tuition for students who maintained a B average in high school using funds from the Georgia Lottery. The 2011 changes made it so students who maintained a 3.2 GPA and received certain scores on standardized tests would receive full tuition benefits, while students who maintained a 3.0 GPA would receive tuition benefits tied to the Georgia Lottery's revenues.[14]

* Stacey Abrams: Supported. Abrams said that the weak economy in 2011 forced her to support the changes, and if she had not, the benefit cuts would have been more significant.[14]
* Stacey Evans: Opposed. Evans said that the bill "gutted" the HOPE Scholarship and was the reason she decided to run for governor.[69]

#### Gun policy[edit]

Passed in 2012, SB 250 barred local law enforcement agencies from destroying firearms confiscated during criminal investigations, requiring them to be auctioned off to wholesalers instead.[70]

* Stacey Abrams: Opposed. Abrams said the bill was "extreme and horrifying" and criticized Evans for supporting it. Her spokeswoman said, “Georgia’s next governor must be prepared to stand up to gun extremists who put dangerous gun laws above common sense, the judgement of local law enforcement, and the safety of the public.”
* Stacey Evans: Supported. Evans said she supported the bill because it required guns to be treated the same as other pieces of property acquired by the police and would raise revenue for law enforcement. She said she supported a new bill that would give police the option to destroy the weapons rather than re-selling them.

#### Boycott, Divest, Sanction movement[edit]

This bill was passed in the 2016 legislative session. It required state contractors to certify that they were not participating in the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions movement (BDS), which targets the nation of Israel over its policies related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.[71]

* Stacey Abrams: Opposed. Abrams said that while she opposed the BDS movement, she believed the bill would give the state government the ability to punish certain people for their political views.[71]
* Stacey Evans: Supported. Evans said that she supported the bill in order to signal to Israel that Georgia wished to maintain a positive relationship with it.[71]

#### Opportunity School District constitutional amendment[edit]

This bill was passed in the 2015 legislative session and was on the ballot as a proposed constitutional amendment in 2016. It failed by a 40 percent to 60 percent margin. It would have allowed the state government to take control of school districts that it deemed as chronically failing.[72]

* Stacey Abrams: Opposed. In 2017, she said, "I strongly opposed the Opportunity School District for taking power away from local schools and concentrating power in the hands of the Governor without any accountability or investment in our students."[73]
* Stacey Evans: Supported. Evans was one of 11 state House Democrats who joined with most Republicans in support of the bill. She later said that she regretted voting for it and only did so originally because she was “frustrated by a lack of action by state government” with regards to failing school districts.[74]

## Debates and forums[edit]

### February 22 debate[edit]

On February 22, 2018, Stacey Abrams (D) and Stacey Evans (D) met for a candidate forum sponsored by the Jewish Democratic Women's Salon. Among the issues discussed at the forum were:[75]

* BDS Movement: The candidates discussed a bill that had been passed during their time in the state legislature that barred vendors and contractors doing business with the state from participating in the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanction) movement, which discourages doing business with Israeli firms and individuals. Evans had voted in favor of the measure, citing the friendship between Georgia and Israel, while Abrams was opposed, arguing that the bill limited political expression. Abrams stated her personal opposition to the BDS movement.

* Campaign strategy: Abrams argued that the path to victory for a Democratic candidate in a statewide Georgia election was through mobilizing voter turnout, while Evans argued that the party should focus on winning the support of unaffiliated and Republican voters.

* Medicaid: Both candidates called for the state to make use of the Medicaid expansion program offered to states under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

* Student scholarship organizations: The two candidates discussed the state's student scholarship organizations program, which provides an income tax credit to individuals who donate to the scholarship funds of private schools. Abrams stated her opposition to the program, arguing that the income tax revenue it forgoes could fund a 1 percent pay increase for the state's teachers. Evans did not state whether she supported or was opposed to the program but called for an audit of the state's education system.

## Campaign themes and policy stances[edit]

###  Stacey Abrams[edit]

“  |

Bold, Ambitious Children
Building a Georgia where every child believes their future should be limitless We are ready to imagine more for our children than simply an adequate education. Georgia must invest in addressing the needs of the whole child from cradle to career – and our investment must extend beyond the walls of a classroom to acknowledge the totality of their needs. Urban, suburban, and rural families all face the challenge of accessing quality education. This begins with high-quality affordable childcare and universal access to pre-kindergarten programs, continues through K-12 and must prepare students for higher education. But too often, a family’s income or zip code determines if their child has a strong beginning or receives an education to power a lifetime of opportunity. We must guarantee an excellent education as the best guarantee for mobility and success.

* NEW: The Bold Action for a Brighter Future Plan: Georgia has the resources to serve our children – and as Governor, Stacey Abrams will have the vision and will to educate bold and ambitious children as our best legacy. The new Bold Action for a Brighter Future Plan is a proposal to extend access to high-quality child care programs, ensure affordable options for children ages 0-3, increase access to pre-K, improve the livelihoods of teachers and expand statewide access to afterschool programs. Our children will be proof of our investment, and our workforce will be more productive. Read more about the newly released child care plan HERE.
* High-Quality Day Care: Learning begins at birth, which means we have to start our commitment to education with high-quality, affordable child care. Georgia can afford to offer tax credits and subsidies to our working parents to take care of our youngest citizens. Quality early care has been tied to school readiness, graduation rates, reading proficiency, and college-going rates.
* Universal Pre-K: As Governor, Stacey is committed to reaffirming the promise of universal pre-K for four-year-olds.
* Excellent Public Schools: Public education is the beating heart of our state and a fundamental obligation. We must invest in excellent public schools by providing early and regular assessment of student’s capacity to learn: supporting their physical, emotional and mental health rather than simply testing their ability to take tests. As Minority Leader, Stacey advocated for fully-funded quality public education that promotes excellence, demanded comprehensive support for struggling schools and opposed attempts to privatize our public schools. Georgia leaders cannot stand up for public education and simultaneously vote for private vouchers; diversion of funds to private schools undermines our government’s responsibility.
* Post-Secondary Pathways: Providing Georgians with access to affordable higher education is essential to building a strong workforce in our state. As Minority Leader, Stacey Abrams negotiated the inclusion of a 1% low-interest loan program for higher education and remedial classes for technical college students, and she fought for a need-based aid program in the state. As Governor, she will push for free access to technical college, debt-free four-year college, and need-based aid as a priority in Georgia. Under her leadership, Georgia will expand access to apprenticeships and invest in adult literacy options.

A Fair and Diverse Economy
A state where the economy works in every county, for every Georgian We must build a Georgia where no one has to work more than one full-time job to make ends meet. A fair economy means investing in diverse businesses, fighting for equality in the workplace, lifting families out of poverty, and ensuring access to affordable healthcare. Fairness is the backbone of an economy that eliminates poverty and fosters prosperity for every family.

* NEW: The Georgia Economic Mobility Plan – Georgia families deserve a leader who will invest in every person, and who has an economic mobility vision that will increase prosperity, lift families from poverty, reduce income inequality, and ensure a fair and inclusive economy for all Georgians. As Georgia’s next governor, Stacey Abrams will prioritize economic mobility to ensure every hardworking family has the chance to succeed and prosper. The Georgia Economic Mobility Plan will grow the economy for all Georgians. It will focus on earnings, savings, skills, worker protections and inclusion: Read the plan here.
* Georgia’s Advanced Energy Jobs Plan is the first in a series of economic revitalization proposals to deliver 25,000-45,000 long term, high wage jobs in Georgia – from construction, coding, sales, and installation to manufacturing and beyond. Georgia must have a bold and comprehensive economic vision to (1) ensure no person has to work more than one full-time job to make ends meet and (2) catalyze the creation of good-paying jobs in all 159 counties, at all skill levels. We must leverage our natural resources and assets, working together across sectors, to build an economy for every worker. Let’s imagine more for our state and create an economy that leads the nation in advanced energy jobs and local innovation. Read the plan here.
* Investment in Community Businesses: Small businesses employ more Georgians, and they can be started anywhere. As Governor, Stacey Abrams will direct more of our economic development dollars to our hometown businesses: the barbershop that wants to expand, the nurse who wants to launch a home healthcare company, the entrepreneur who can’t get venture capital in rural Georgia. Funds will be targeted to reach low-income communities and rural counties, and we will help Georgia businesses expand by offering access to capital.
* Workplace Equality: We must demand that our workplaces never discriminate based on a person’s race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, or immigration status. As Governor, Stacey Abrams will promote policies to ensure pay equity and expand paid sick leave. Georgia should require a living wage in every county. Furthermore, the right to form a union and collectively bargain for fair wages and employment conditions is fundamental to workplace fairness. As Minority Leader, Stacey Abrams has never wavered in her opposition to legislation that would erode the rights of workers to bargain for fair pay and safe workplace conditions. While in the legislature, Stacey Abrams co-sponsored legislation to prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation by amending the Fair Employment Practices Act. As Governor, Stacey Abrams will continue to support a Georgia civil rights bill to protect the LGBTQ+ community, as well as immigrants, people of color, and people of faith, from discrimination in housing, public accommodation, and the workplace; create a body dedicated to enforcing these laws; and put in place protections to all relevant sections of Georgia law. Stacey Abrams supports passage of hate crime legislation to protect LGBTQ+ Georgians and other communities facing discrimination.
* Lift Families Out of Poverty: Moving from poverty to prosperity must be the mission of our next governor. Economic mobility improves neighborhoods and schools and decreases reliance on welfare programs and incarceration rates. As Minority Leader, Stacey defeated Republican tax plans to increase sales taxes on working families, and she opposed legislation to restore taxes on groceries. As Governor Abrams would improve tackle poverty among our working families by establishing a state Earned Income Tax Credit, bridging transition from welfare to work without immediately eliminating benefits, and expanding access to childcare tax credits and subsidies. She will also continue her fight to protect workers from misclassification as independent contractors and abusive on-call scheduling, providing families with predictable workweeks and predictable paychecks.
* Access to Affordable Healthcare: Access to affordable healthcare is a right, and guaranteeing quality services improves families, communities and the workplace. As Minority Leader, Stacey worked to sign Georgians up for the Affordable Care Act and she has fought for Medicaid expansion – the only path forward for providing essential health coverage to the working poor and preventing closure of our rural hospitals and the economic collapse of surrounding communities. Stacey has spearheaded critical legislation combatting the misclassification of workers as independent contractors, which denies them Medicaid benefits they have earned. When elected governor, Stacey will work to expand Medicaid and provide coverage for 500,000 Georgians, create 56,000 jobs, stabilize our rural counties and explore pathways to universal coverage in our state. She will support reproductive freedom and access to treatment for women, regardless of ability to pay. Also, across our state, more than half of our counties lack access to OB/GYNs or pediatricians. Stacey will leverage state and federal programs to incentivize more doctors and medical personnel to locate in under-served areas, and she will work with practitioners to reduce our maternal and infant mortality rates and increase access to care.
* Innovation and Green Jobs: Growing Georgia’s economy means we must diversify our jobs and support innovation across sectors. With the right policies, Georgia can lead the Southeast in advanced energy jobs. As Governor, Stacey will work with public and private partners to create new jobs in infrastructure, clean energy, biotech and agritech, as well as expand broadband to connect our communities to the Internet. We can train our students in growing fields like energy engineering, sustainability science and build an energy innovation ecosystem across the state.

Effective and Engaged Government
Creating a Georgia where all of us are active partners in ensuring government serves everyone Georgians must be able to rely on their government to defend their rights, fix systemic problems and protect its residents. Too often, government only works for the wealthy and well-connected. Worse, poor policymaking has a disproportionate impact on people of color, the poor and rural communities. From criminal justice reform to voting rights to environmental justice to supporting seniors or the disabled, we must have an effective and engaged government.

* NEW: Justice for Georgia: A Plan for Fairness and Community Safety –Criminal justice reform is a central component of Stacey Abrams’ mission to create an effective and engaged government. Together, we will work to build a justice system that serves every Georgian. The Justice for Georgia plan will improve court, jail, and prison systems, lower incarceration rates, reduce recidivism, aid law enforcement, and make our communities safer by building trust throughout Georgia. We cannot return to the tired, dated patterns of “punish and penalize.” In 2018, we must elect leadership with a bold new vision for what Georgia can be. Read the plan here.
* Defend Our Rights: An effective government must protect civil rights and fight discrimination based on race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, immigration status, disability, or gender identity. Stacey co-sponsored civil rights legislation for Georgia. She opposed the disastrous HB 87, which has harmed our immigrant and refugee communities. As Minority Leader, Stacey fought back voter suppression tactics and introduced legislation to expand access to the ballot. Through the New Georgia Project, Stacey registered more than 200,000 people of color, forced the restoration of 33,000 illegally canceled voter applications, and defeated attempts to intimidate voters. As Governor, she will oppose policies that seek to undermine the rights of Georgians.
* Fix Systemic Problems: Stacey has championed legislation to protect our natural resources and our communities from the hazardous waste that too often has gone unchecked. She supported greater oversight of petroleum pipelines so communities could know the possible impacts ahead of time. Stacey sponsored legislation to ensure funds for hazardous waste clean-up actually go to that purpose, as well as legislation to require landfills to alert the public in the event of a leak. From clean water to solar energy, Stacey has been a leader on moving Georgia to a more sustainable future for all.
* Decriminalize Poverty and Support Justice: Justice should not be determined by your paycheck. Stacey Abrams’ policies will lift families out of poverty and also combat the criminalization of poverty. We must end the unequal application of justice for those who can buy their way out of jail versus those who cannot. Stacey will focus on reforming bail policies and eliminating “cash bail,” decriminalizing traffic offenses and possession of small amounts of marijuana, increasing training that recognizes implicit bias, and stopping the shameful practices of private probation companies. We must expand reforms to support community policing and improve POST training to rebuild trust between law enforcement and our most vulnerable communities. However, criminal justice reform cannot focus solely on sentencing and prisons. Reform efforts must also recognize that disparities in school funding, health care access, and job opportunities are inextricably related to combating over-incarceration and prolonged probation sentences.
* Protect Our Most Vulnerable Residents: Nearly a quarter of Georgia’s children live in poverty and approximately 11,000 children in foster care. More than 100,000 children are in kinship care – being raised by grandparents or other kin. Nearly 10% of seniors are below the poverty line, and thousands of seniors are in need of resources to help them age in place. As a state, we must deliver critical services to those who have physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities as well as mental illness. As Minority Leader, Stacey has co-sponsored legislation to support our most vulnerable residents, from kinship care legislation to expanding legal protections for seniors. As Governor, Stacey will continue to advocate for policies and funds to serve these communities.

[76]

|  ”

|
|

—Stacey Abrams for Governor[77]

#### April 24 op-ed on personal finances[edit]

Abrams wrote an op-ed for Fortune about her personal finances on April 24, 2018.

* "One of the traditional rites of passage for political candidates is the revelation of financial status–a catechism-like recital of money mistakes made and debts owed. As a candidate for governor of Georgia, I have spent the past few weeks dealing with the fallout from my personal financial disclosure report. As everyone following the race now knows, I owe the IRS over $50,000 in deferred tax payments (I am currently on a repayment plan) and hold more than $170,000 in credit card and student loan debt.

I am in debt, but I am not alone. Debt is a millstone that weighs down more than three-quarters of Americans. It can determine whether we are able to run for office, to launch a business, to quit a job we hate. But it should not—and cannot—be a disqualification for ambition..."Continue reading.

###  Stacey Evans[edit]

“  |

Jobs and Economy
I’m running to be your Governor to bring back hope that if you work hard you’ll have access to a good job that pays a fair wage.

I want Georgia to be the best place to work, live, and raise a family. Right now, it isn’t. Georgia is 40th in income inequality, 40th in high school graduation, and has the lowest minimum wage in the country.

I lived in 16 homes while I was growing up. I was a waitress, cashier, and phone operator. I paid for gasoline in quarters. And I cried in college when the dry cleaners lost my only good pair of pants. Anyone who ever had their lights turned off, was evicted, or worried about their next meal knows that the experience never leaves you. It defines you.

When I was growing up, there was a path to success: go to school, work hard, pay your dues. That path is vanishing. Georgians are working harder than ever, yet they are falling behind. We should not have to work two and three jobs just to cover basic human rights like food, shelter, and healthcare. This is simply immoral.

Jobs that pay a meaningful wage

As Governor, I will fight for all Georgians to create the same opportunities that I had to get ahead despite facing struggles. And it starts with jobs. Not just any jobs. Jobs with a meaningful wage, jobs with benefits, jobs that allow hard-working parents to spend quality time with their children, not just see them between shifts.

We must work to increase the minimum wage because everybody deserves a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work. And no one who works full-time should live in poverty. Putting more money in the hands of the families that need it most will lift the whole state.

I will fight for equal pay, affordable childcare, worker’s rights, and tax credits for working people, such as a state Earned Income Tax Credit.

Opening the door for more education, job training and apprentice opportunities

To attract these jobs, we must invest in education – from early childhood education to K-12 to technical colleges and four-year institutions. Our high schools and technical colleges can be especially valuable in providing vocational and skills training to those who will build our plants, service our roads, and maintain our power lines. That’s why I fought against the cuts to the HOPE Grant that forced thousands of students to drop out of technical colleges. And that’s why I will continue to fight to make technical education tuition-free for all Georgians and to ensure that higher education is affordable for anyone willing to put in the work. Apprentice programs also provide an amazing opportunity for Georgians to train while they earn a living, so we need to promote them and make them accessible. And we need career counselors in our middle and high schools who are trained and ready to educate students on all the pathways available to them.

Infrastructure to support a strong and growing economy

We must invest in infrastructure, including a coordinated, regional mass transit system and updated roads and bridges throughout the state. And we must re-commit to rural Georgia by expanding broadband and building a commuter rail system that connects our state.

Government contract opportunities that aren’t limited to favorite sons

We must focus on small businesses. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and so many of our communities. Georgia grants billions of dollars each year in state contracts for construction, technology, and food services. These opportunities must be open to all, not just elites and friends of the powerful. Georgia-based small businesses, not out-of-state corporations, should always get first crack at state contracts. We must reduce the taxes on small businesses while also providing access to the capital necessary to grow.

And any tax incentives to recruit new jobs to our state must go through a strict cost-benefit analysis to ensure that our tax dollars are being spent in a responsible way and that businesses that receive incentives are living up to their end of the bargain to create good-paying Georgia jobs.

Investing in people

We must pay teachers, police, firefighters, and other service providers a fair wage in line with their contribution to the prosperity and safety of our state. And state jobs should not all find themselves headquartered in Atlanta. We should spread out opportunities, and save on expensive overhead where possible.

As your Governor, I will continue to invest in Georgia’s future—in agriculture, technology and green jobs. And I will work to help the entire state prosper. Georgia deserves a Governor that looks out for all of us.

HOPE and Higher Education

I’m running to be your Governor to bring back hope that all Georgia students will have the opportunity to access higher education.

HOPE is one of the most important and effective policies ever implemented in the history of our great state. The promise we made to our children was simple, and for many, life-changing: “Get a B, go to college.” It was this promise that allowed me to attend the University of Georgia and become the first college graduate in my family.

Sadly, as the first generation of HOPE scholars’ own children begin to think about college, they can no longer depend on its original promise. In 2011 the legislature voted to cut HOPE in devastating ways. The simple truth is that Governor Deal, the Republicans in the legislature, and anyone who voted with them broke the HOPE promise. These cuts caused thousands to drop out of school because they could no longer afford it.

Prior to 2011, if you had a “B” average, you got to go to 4-year colleges and universities for free. And there was no GPA requirement for the HOPE Grant for technical college. If a Georgia student wanted to go to technical college, they got to go for free. Period.

After the 2011 cuts, a student wishing to attend a 4-year college or university for free had to achieve at least a 3.7 GPA and a 1200 on the SAT, and a student wishing to attend a technical college with even a partial grant had to achieve a 3.0 GPA.

Just one year after the GPA requirement and funding cuts were instituted for technical colleges, roughly 40,000 students left the technical college system—a quarter of the system’s entire student body.

After a two-year fight, legislation I introduced passed that removed the GPA requirement from the HOPE Grant, enabling over 5,500 students to return to technical colleges all across the state. While this legislation made important strides towards returning the HOPE Grant to its pre-2011 status, we are still not providing full tuition as was the original promise, and so thousands of students continue to be priced out of an education.

I introduced legislation in 2014 that would have restored full tuition for all technical college students. A compromise bill was passed that created the Zell Miller Grant and covered full tuition for students with a 3.5 GPA. But this is not good enough, and so I again sponsored legislation in the 2015 and 2016 sessions that would have restored our bargain to students wishing to go to technical school.

Georgia suffers from a middle-skill gap that continues to deter businesses from relocating or expanding in our state. These middle-skill jobs to, among other things, build our plants, service our roads, and maintain our power lines, account for 55 percent of Georgia’s labor market, but only 43 percent of the state’s workers are trained to do them. Much of our failure to train a sufficient middle-skill workforce is due to the cuts to HOPE.

By 2020, 60 percent of all jobs in Georgia will require some level of postsecondary education, ranging from certificate programs to university degrees. Currently, over 80 percent of kids from the top 25 percent in income enter college, while less than half of the bottom 25 percent in income enter college. If we are going to grow the number of college graduates in Georgia to fill the jobs needs of the future, we need more kids from low income backgrounds to graduate from college, and to do so we must prioritize needs based-aid. Unfortunately, needs-based aid was not prioritized when HOPE was cut in 2011. We must do better by our kids and by our state.

HOPE helped make me who I am today. It has been the cause of great pride for our state and it has enabled thousands of Georgians to obtain an education. But the 2011 cuts were unnecessary and they were a mistake. I fought against those cuts in 2011, I spent the last seven years fighting for the kids hurt by those cuts, and I will continue to fight as your Governor to restore HOPE to its original promise.

As your Governor, I will work to make technical college tuition free in this state once again. And I will work to make college more affordable for everyone.

Healthcare Access

I’m running to be your Governor to bring back hope that all Georgians will be able to afford to see a doctor when they are sick and have access to quality preventative care to keep them healthy.

Unfortunately, getting sick or injured is a part of life—it is part of being human. And taking care of our fellow humans when they are sick or injured should be fundamental—it is humane.

Access to healthcare should not be reserved for those who are fortunate enough to be wealthy or to be born without a pre-existing condition. Healthcare should be affordable and accessible for all Georgians.

I remember being without health insurance when I was growing up. I remember the fear and worry that my mother suffered as a result. No parent should feel the helplessness of having nowhere to turn when their child is sick.

Here in Georgia, we have already seen the dire consequences of neglecting to opt into Medicaid expansion, which has caused more than 500,000 Georgians to remain uninsured. These Georgians are the most vulnerable among us and we must look after them – 92 percent of Georgians currently served by Medicaid are children, elderly or disabled.

Eight rural Georgia hospitals have already closed since the decision not to expand Medicaid. These hospitals were located in counties where many Georgians are scraping by to make a living and cannot afford health insurance. This is hurting the people that cannot get treatment and it is hurting the communities that are losing jobs, not just from the direct layoffs, but from the surrounding businesses and the companies that refuse to locate somewhere without access to a hospital.

As Governor, I will expand Medicaid and provide access to affordable coverage for more working Georgians. Leaving Georgians uninsured is wrong for families and hurts our clinics, hospitals, and providers.

We also must crack down on employee misclassification. Too many businesses across this state are misclassifying true employees as independent contractors. Oftentimes this denies these hard-working Georgians access to healthcare benefits and denies them their employers’ contribution to their Social Security benefits—not to mention withholds valuable dollars from our state budget in payroll taxes. We need to clarify relevant laws so that it is harder for employers to take advantage of the system, we need to increase Georgia Department of Labor funding so the agency can conduct more thorough annual audits, and we need to make sure that employee misclassification never occurs with state contracts.

As an attorney, I worked to expose waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars in the healthcare system. I will continue that work as Governor. If we deliberately work to cut waste and fraud from our system, healthcare costs will come down.

As your Governor, I will make it a priority to expand and improve healthcare in our state. I will work to ensure that we devote adequate resources to rural hospitals, OB/GYN and pediatric services, mental health, AIDS research and prevention, and fighting the opioid epidemic plaguing our communities. Georgia ranks among the top eleven states with the most prescription opioid overdoses. My brother fell victim to opioid addiction. Thankfully, he’s been clean for over a year now, but he needed help along the way. I know firsthand the harm these drugs can do to Georgia families. That’s why I sponsored the Opiate Abuse Prevention Act in 2017 to increase regulation of these dangerous drugs.

And I will continue the work I have done for years as a legislator to protect women’s rights and reproductive freedom. Employers and politicians must not be allowed to make healthcare decisions for Georgian women and insurance companies must not be allowed to charge unfair rates.

To continue to withhold healthcare from hundreds of thousands of Georgians, and to turn a blind eye as employers do the same, is wrong morally, it is wrong economically, and it does not represent Georgian values. I believe that everyone deserves access to affordable healthcare and that Georgia would be a stronger state for it.

High Quality Schools for All Our Kids

I’m running to be your Governor to bring back hope that all Georgians will be able to afford to see a doctor when they are sick and have access to quality preventative care to keep them healthy.

Unfortunately, getting sick or injured is a part of life—it is part of being human. And taking care of our fellow humans when they are sick or injured should be fundamental—it is humane.

Access to healthcare should not be reserved for those who are fortunate enough to be wealthy or to be born without a pre-existing condition. Healthcare should be affordable and accessible for all Georgians.

I remember being without health insurance when I was growing up. I remember the fear and worry that my mother suffered as a result. No parent should feel the helplessness of having nowhere to turn when their child is sick.

Here in Georgia, we have already seen the dire consequences of neglecting to opt into Medicaid expansion, which has caused more than 500,000 Georgians to remain uninsured. These Georgians are the most vulnerable among us and we must look after them – 92 percent of Georgians currently served by Medicaid are children, elderly or disabled.

Eight rural Georgia hospitals have already closed since the decision not to expand Medicaid. These hospitals were located in counties where many Georgians are scraping by to make a living and cannot afford health insurance. This is hurting the people that cannot get treatment and it is hurting the communities that are losing jobs, not just from the direct layoffs, but from the surrounding businesses and the companies that refuse to locate somewhere without access to a hospital.

As Governor, I will expand Medicaid and provide access to affordable coverage for more working Georgians. Leaving Georgians uninsured is wrong for families and hurts our clinics, hospitals, and providers.

We also must crack down on employee misclassification. Too many businesses across this state are misclassifying true employees as independent contractors. Oftentimes this denies these hard-working Georgians access to healthcare benefits and denies them their employers’ contribution to their Social Security benefits—not to mention withholds valuable dollars from our state budget in payroll taxes. We need to clarify relevant laws so that it is harder for employers to take advantage of the system, we need to increase Georgia Department of Labor funding so the agency can conduct more thorough annual audits, and we need to make sure that employee misclassification never occurs with state contracts.

As an attorney, I worked to expose waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars in the healthcare system. I will continue that work as Governor. If we deliberately work to cut waste and fraud from our system, healthcare costs will come down.

As your Governor, I will make it a priority to expand and improve healthcare in our state. I will work to ensure that we devote adequate resources to rural hospitals, OB/GYN and pediatric services, mental health, AIDS research and prevention, and fighting the opioid epidemic plaguing our communities. Georgia ranks among the top eleven states with the most prescription opioid overdoses. My brother fell victim to opioid addiction. Thankfully, he’s been clean for over a year now, but he needed help along the way. I know firsthand the harm these drugs can do to Georgia families. That’s why I sponsored the Opiate Abuse Prevention Act in 2017 to increase regulation of these dangerous drugs.

And I will continue the work I have done for years as a legislator to protect women’s rights and reproductive freedom. Employers and politicians must not be allowed to make healthcare decisions for Georgian women and insurance companies must not be allowed to charge unfair rates.

To continue to withhold healthcare from hundreds of thousands of Georgians, and to turn a blind eye as employers do the same, is wrong morally, it is wrong economically, and it does not represent Georgian values. I believe that everyone deserves access to affordable healthcare and that Georgia would be a stronger state for it.

High Quality Pre-K

I’m running to be your Governor to bring back hope that all of our children will have access to high quality pre-K starting at age 2 no matter what zip code they live in.

My daughter, Ashley, started attending pre-K at age 2 – this option should be available for all Georgia families. By the time she entered kindergarten she knew not only her ABCs, 123s, shapes, and colors, but she had experience standing in line, following the directions of a teacher, and sharing and interacting with a classroom full of children. In other words, when she got to kindergarten, she was prepared to learn.

While all children benefit from pre-K, poorer and less advantaged children often depend on this early education the most. We must ensure that children do not enter kindergarten at a disadvantage due to no fault of their own.

All of our children deserve a chance to show up to their kindergarten classrooms armed with the knowledge and training to take their learning to the next level. And our teachers can better teach a classroom full of students when they are all prepared to learn.

Pre-school is the single best investment we can make in our children. For every $1 we spend on pre-school opportunities for our children, studies show that the general public receives as much as $8 in return. And one study shows that providing high-quality early childhood care and education for low-income 3- and 4-year-olds yields a return to society of more than $17 for every dollar invested. We simply cannot afford not to invest in early learning.

Criminal Justice

I’m running to be your Governor to bring back hope that all Georgians will be treated justly in the eyes of the law and all of our families can be safe in our homes, neighborhoods, and communities.

The criminal justice system is vital to a fair, functioning society. The most important function of our state is to protect law-abiding citizens from those that would do them harm. But there is bi-partisan consensus that Georgia’s current system needs improvement to make it more fair and focus energy and resources on protecting families. We need to make sure that the system’s focus remains on public safety, and we need to re-examine any policies that do not further this end. We must make sure that the law protects us all equally, and in doing so, does not punish any of us unequally.

Georgia has made strides towards an improved criminal justice system, but we still face many serious issues. Our probation rate is the highest in the country at nearly four times the national average. Our incarceration rate is the eighth highest in the country. Our recidivism rate is 30 percent. And 62 percent of the people behind bars are African-Americans. These numbers are too high, and Georgia can do better.

Punishment for punishment’s sake cannot be our tact. Rather, we should focus on rehabilitation by helping incarcerated individuals rebuild their lives after they have paid their debt so society – to work to become valuable members of society and earn a second chance. Approximately 70 percent of Georgia’s inmates don’t have a high school diploma, and those released from prison will have a hard time getting a job. By offering inmates educational opportunities—such as the opportunity to earn a GED or obtain a technical certificate or degree—we can lower recidivism rates, which will greatly benefit both public safety and the economy.

Overcrowded prisons are another major problem in Georgia. Morally, it is indefensible to continue to lock up thousands of people for minor, non-violent offenses. It is also economically indefensible. We must address over-arresting, over-sentencing and under-paroling. Crowded prisons put an enormous strain on our state and cost the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

We must not be soft on violent crime, and we should direct our resources to make sure these criminals feel the full force of the law. But many prisoners are decent people that made a mistake—a teenager who got caught up in drugs, an out-of-work parent who stole in a moment of weakness to provide for their family. While these people sit in cells for years on end, costing the state millions of dollars, their families are denied their loved ones and Georgia’s economy is denied their contribution. Redemption and rehabilitation should be attainable for such people, so we need to take on common-sense parole reforms and diversion approaches, including drug courts, juvenile programs and mental health and addiction services. Ultimately our system must focus on real justice, protecting victims, and ensuring that those convicted of crimes are dealt with responsibly and not with a one-size-fits-all approach.

Racial profiling is wrong and there is no place for it in a just society. We need to increase our focus on training, oversight and background checks to make sure our cops are well-prepared to protect and serve everyone. Let’s make a commitment to funding body cameras for police offices to provide more protections and accountability for both law enforcement and the community.

We must also begin the work towards decriminalizing the possession of marijuana. Possessing marijuana without the intent to distribute should not make you a felon or put you in prison for up to 10 years.

And we must end private for-profit prisons and probation programs. There should not be a profit motive tied to criminal justice. Records have shown that the for-profit prison and probation industry has pocketed large fees while in many cases failing to properly do their job. And it is taxpayers that have footed the bill when these companies fail.

The criminal just system affects all of us, not just criminals and victims. The more just and efficient we can make the system, the better it is for our society and for our state. As your governor, my priority will be to protect all Georgians, and I will do so by bringing a common-sense approach to improving our criminal justice system to better serve all citizens of this state.

Equal Rights

I’m running to be your Governor to bring back hope that our leaders will recognize that we are all created equal and that our government will not allow any of us to be treated otherwise.

There is absolutely no place for discrimination in Georgia, and as your Governor, I will not stand for it. All Georgians must enjoy equal rights and equal protection under the law. I unequivocally commit to opposing any discrimination based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Some in our state government continue to propose legislation under the guise of “religious freedom,” but this legislation merely serves to open the door for legalized discrimination against LGBTQ Georgians. Religious freedom is a right guaranteed by the Constitution and it should be protected as such, alongside all of the other fundamental rights we enjoy as American citizens. But protecting one freedom does not necessitate that we strip away others. When we begin to conflate the freedom of religion with the freedom to discriminate, we have truly departed from the values that we hold most dear as people of faith, as Americans and as Georgians.

While I was in the state house, I voted against, and vocally opposed bills that threatened to legalize discrimination or allow some Georgians to be treated differently under the law. In addition, I also proposed legislation that would increase protections against discrimination and prevent future threats to equal rights.

If we as a state wish to remain a beacon for moral values and economic growth, we cannot afford to waste our time with hateful, backwards-thinking policies.

As your Governor, I promise to veto any discriminatory legislation that makes its way to my desk, and I promise that I will do everything in my power to continue to fight for the rights of all Georgians.

Voting Rights

I’m running to be your Governor to bring back hope that all Georgians will have true access to the ballot and will feel confident that their votes are counted accurately.

The right to cast a ballot is the foundation of our democracy. It is the right to choose the kind of country we want to live in and the kind of government we want to lead it. And it is vitally important that all Georgians can exercise this sacred right without even the slightest shadow of suppression.

Voter suppression has been a problem as long as our country has existed. And in the past decade, many states have passed legislation that makes it harder for people—particularly African Americans, immigrants, the elderly, and people with disabilities—to exercise their fundamental right to vote. Some common suppression tactics include voter ID laws and cuts to early voting periods. In 2011, the same year that the HOPE Scholarship was slashed, the legislature voted to cut early voting by more than half – from 45 days to 21 days. As with HOPE, there are those that rationalized a vote in favor of these cuts, but I voted against the cuts because I do not believe we should do anything to decrease accessibility to the ballot box.

After the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision to strip the coverage formula from the Voting Rights Act which had protected citizens in states that had long and notorious histories of excluding African American voters, we must be increasingly vigilant of disenfranchisement.

When the state last overhauled its elections system in 2002, it committed to using direct­ recording electronic voting machines and eliminated a paper trail of recorded votes. Experts say that a paper trail is crucial in case audits are needed due to hacking or human error, and we need to reinstitute this failsafe.

Further, I have grave concerns about President Trump’s so-called “voter fraud” commission. This commission is spreading misinformation and giving a platform to those who are seeking to restrict and suppress voting rights. As Governor, I will stand up to anyone who threatens our fundamental rights to the ballot box.

We must do everything in our power to protect the accessibility and legitimacy of our ballot box. We should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder. As your Governor, I will work to make sure that every Georgian has fair and open access to our democracy.

Protecting the Environment

I’m running to be your Governor to bring back hope that we’ll all be able to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and leave a healthy planet to our children.

If there is any issue that should transcend party lines, it is the environment. We all breathe the same air, drink the same water, and enjoy the beauty of our mountains, oceans, and rivers. We all want our children and future generations to have a safe place to live.

I grew up surrounded by the beauty of North Georgia, at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I remember hiking the trails, exploring the forests and fishing the lakes and rivers. Georgia is a beautiful, rugged and special place, and I will fight to preserve it for my daughter and for all of our children.

No matter where you live in Georgia, climate change and other environmental threats are already affecting your life, and these threats will only intensify with each passing year. Urban areas such as Atlanta will see extreme heat, intense bursts of flooding and decreased water supply. Southern parts of the state are susceptible to drought. And coastal areas are faced with rising sea levels. The Chattahoochee River, which winds across our state and provides water to around four million people, is threatened by decreased rainfall and increasing temperatures.

And, as is often the case, it is the least fortunate and most vulnerable among us who will be the hardest hit. It is the same folks we too often leave behind in our economy, in our educational system, and in healthcare, that will be most affected by climate change and environmental threats. Working-class communities often cannot afford to move or evacuate during weather disasters. The every-day Georgian is more likely to work outside in the rising heat, and may struggle to pay their air conditioning bills. And pollution in these communities leads to health problems, like asthma, that are compounded by the refusal of our state legislature to expand Medicaid.

Protecting the environment is something we must do to keep faith with future generations, but it is also good business. Contrary to the rhetoric of some powerful special interests, a healthy planet and a healthy economy are not mutually exclusive. By investing in clean-energy jobs and transportation, we can protect the environment while simultaneously creating good-paying jobs. By innovating and coming together around common sense policies, we can grow our economy and make Georgia a national leader in renewable energy production.

As your Governor, I will join the rapidly growing list of more than 1,000 mayors, governors, university presidents, and business leaders who have pledged to meet our country’s commitment to fight climate change. I will also work to make Georgia a leader in innovation, starting with my “20-20 Vision”, an initiative for our state to become the second greatest producer of new solar capacity by the year 2020. I believe in a Georgia that leads on the difficult issues, a Georgia that other states look to as an example. Our state has the people, resources and resilience to lead the way on the environment—and we must do so for the reputation of our state, and for the future of our people. [76]

|  ”

|
|

—Evans for Georgia[78]

### Issues[edit]

#### Education[edit]

In her announcement that she would seek the nomination, Evans referred to the debate over the HOPE Scholarship, a program that provides tuition for in-state students attending public universities using funds from the state lottery. In 2011, Gov. Nathan Deal (R) proposed increasing the program's academic requirements, citing decreased revenue from the state lottery. Abrams stated her support for the proposal, arguing that it was "a bipartisan solution to save the nation’s most valuable higher education scholarship program." Evans was opposed to the bill, arguing instead that the program should be limited to students with household incomes of $140,000 or less, referring to her own background as a HOPE recipient: "I could not make up for the fact that I didn’t have 18 years at a dinner table with educated parents sharing vocabulary, talking about reading, giving me the tools I would need to score high on an SAT."[79]

## Polls[edit]

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Governor of Georgia, 2018 Democratic primary

Poll | Stacey Abrams (D) | Stacey Evans (D)| Undecided/Other| Margin of error| Sample size
FOX 5 Atlanta/Opinion Savvy
(May 15-16, 2018) | 58%| 19%| 23%| +/-4.3| 522
11Alive/Survey USA
(May 10-15, 2018) | 43%| 24%| 33%| +/-6.2| 475
University of Georgia
(April 12-18, 2018) | 33%| 15%| 52%| +/-4.5| 473
Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy
(February 20-23, 2018) | 29%| 17%| 54%| +/-4.5| 500
AVERAGES|  40.75%|  18.75%|  40.5%|  +/-4.88|  492.5
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

## Noteworthy events[edit]

### Netroots Nation protest[edit]

On August 12, 2017, protesters disrupted a speech that Stacey Evans was giving at a Netroots Nation event in Savannah. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Almost as soon as she took the stage, a ring of demonstrators - some holding stark signs criticizing her - fanned out in front of Evans. The chanting soon followed. Pleading repeatedly for the room to quiet down - 'let’s talk through it,' she implored - the demonstrators at times drowned her out." Some of the protesters chanted "Trust black women" during Evans' speech.[80]

“This is our opportunity, especially as black women, to make it known or clear that this is standing on true progressive values,” said protester Monica Simpson following the event. "And if you’re not, we’re going to make that clear."[80]

Stacey Abrams said that while her campaign was not involved in the protests, she would not "condemn peaceful protest." She said that she thought the protests were about Evans' support for a Republican plan to give the state government more control over school management rather than her race. "From what I observed from Savannah, activists in Atlanta peacefully protested this morning on the critical issue of preserving public education for every family in our state," she said. "The mantra of 'trust black women' is an historic endorsement of the value of bringing marginalized voices to the forefront, not a rebuke to my opponent's race."[80]

Evans said that the protesters should have compared her record with Abrams', adding "I bet if they did, they'd be really upset to know that Abrams teamed up with Republicans to cut HOPE scholarships."[80]

## Race ratings[edit]

See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Race ratings: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2018

Race tracker | Race ratings
| November 5, 2018 | October 30, 2018| October 23, 2018| October 16, 2018
The Cook Political Report | Toss-up | Toss-up| Toss-up| Toss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican| Tilt Republican| Tilt Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Toss-up | Toss-up| Toss-up| Toss-up
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

## Race background[edit]

Heading into the election, the sitting governor was Nathan Deal (R), who was first elected in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. Deal was prevented by term limits from seeking re-election in 2018.

Heading into the election, Georgia was a Republican trifecta. It has held this status since 2005, when Republicans gained a majority in the Georgia House of Representatives. Georgia was also a Republican triplex.

Georgia was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.

## State overview[edit]

### Partisan control[edit]

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Georgia heading into the 2018 elections.

#### Congressional delegation[edit]

* Following the 2016 elections, Republicans held both U.S. Senate seats in Georgia.
* Republicans held 10 of 14 U.S. House seats in Georgia.

#### State executives[edit]

* As of September 2018, Republicans held 12 of 15 state executive positions, while three positions were held by nonpartisan officials.
* The governor of Georgia was Republican Nathan Deal. The state held an election for governor on November 6, 2018.

#### State legislature[edit]

* Republicans controlled both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly. They had a 114-64 majority in the state House and a 37-19 majority in the state Senate.

#### Trifecta status[edit]

* Georgia was a Republican trifecta, meaning that the Republican Party controlled the state government. Nathan Deal (R) served as governor and Republicans controlled the state legislature.

### 2018 elections[edit]

See also: Georgia elections, 2018

Georgia held elections for the following positions in 2018:

* 14 U.S. House seats
* Governor
* Nine lower state executive positions
* 56 state Senate seats
* 180 state House seats
* Municipal elections in DeKalb and Fulton Counties

### Demographics[edit]

| Demographic data for Georgia

| Georgia| U.S.
Total population:| 10,199,398| 316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):| 57,513| 3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:| 60.2%| 73.6%
Black/African American:| 30.9%| 12.6%
Asian:| 3.6%| 5.1%
Native American:| 0.3%| 0.8%
Pacific Islander:| 0%| 0.2%
Two or more:| 2.1%| 3%
Hispanic/Latino:| 9.1%| 17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:| 85.4%| 86.7%
College graduation rate:| 28.8%| 29.8%
Income
Median household income:| $49,620| $53,889
Persons below poverty level:| 21.1%| 11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Georgia.

* * *

**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2017, Georgia's three largest cities were Atlanta (pop. est. 470,000), Columbus (pop. est. 200,000), and Augusta (pop. est. 200,000).[81][82]

## State election history[edit]

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Georgia from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Georgia Secretary of State.

### Historical elections[edit]

#### Presidential elections, 2000-2016[edit]

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Georgia every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), Georgia 2000-2016

Year  |  First-place candidate  |  First-place candidate votes (%)  |  Second-place candidate  |  Second-place candidate votes (%)  |  Margin of victory (%)
2016 |  Donald Trump | 51.1% |  Hillary Clinton | 45.9% | 5.2%
2012 |  Mitt Romney | 53.3% |  Barack Obama | 45.5% | 7.8%
2008 |  John McCain | 52.2% |  Barack Obama | 47.0% | 5.2%
2004 |  George Bush | 58.0% |  John Kerry | 41.4% | 16.6%
2000 |  George Bush | 55.0% |  Al Gore | 43.2% | 11.8%

#### U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016[edit]

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Georgia from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Georgia 2000-2016

Year  |  First-place candidate  |  First-place candidate votes (%)  |  Second-place candidate  |  Second-place candidate votes (%)  |  Margin of victory (%)
2016 |  Johnny Isakson | 54.8% |  Jim Barksdale | 41.0% | 13.8%
2014 |  David Perdue | 52.9% |  Michelle Nunn | 45.2% | 7.7%
2010 |  Johnny Isakson | 58.3% |  Mike Thurmond | 39.0% | 19.3%
2008 |  Saxby Chambliss | 49.8% |  Jim Martin | 46.8% | 3.0%
2004 |  Johnny Isakson | 57.9% |  Denise Majette | 40.0% | 17.9%
2002 |  Saxby Chambliss | 52.8% |  Max Cleland | 45.9% | 6.9%

#### Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016[edit]

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Georgia.

Election results (Governor), Georgia 2000-2016

Year  |  First-place candidate  |  First-place candidate votes (%)  |  Second-place candidate  |  Second-place candidate votes (%)  |  Margin of victory (%)
2014 |  Nathan Deal | 52.8% |  Jason Carter | 44.9% | 7.9%
2010 |  Nathan Deal | 53.0% |  Roy Barnes | 43.0% | 10.0%
2006 |  Sonny Perdue | 57.9% |  Mark Taylor | 38.2% | 19.7%
2002 |  Sonny Perdue | 51.4% |  Roy Barnes | 46.3% | 5.1%

#### Congressional delegation, 2000-2016[edit]

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Georgia in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Georgia 2000-2016

Year  |  Republicans  |  Republicans (%)  |  Democrats  |  Democrats (%)  |  Balance of power
2016 |  10 | 71.4% |  4 | 28.6% | R+6
2014 |  10 | 71.4% |  4 | 28.6% | R+6
2012 |  9 | 64.3% |  5 | 35.7% | R+4
2010 |  8 | 61.5% |  5 | 38.5% | R+3
2008 |  7 | 53.8% |  6 | 46.2% | R+1
2006 |  7 | 53.8% |  6 | 46.2% | R+1
2004 |  7 | 53.8% |  6 | 46.2% | R+1
2002 |  8 | 61.5% |  5 | 38.5% | R+3
2000 |  8 | 72.7% |  3 | 27.3% | R+5

#### Trifectas, 1992-2017[edit]

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Georgia Party Control: 1992-2021
Eleven years of Democratic trifectas • Seventeen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year  |  92  |  93  |  94  |  95  |  96  |  97  |  98  |  99  |  00  |  01  |  02  |  03  |  04  |  05  |  06  |  07  |  08  |  09  |  10  |  11  |  12  |  13  |  14  |  15  |  16  |  17  |  18  |  19  |  20  |  21

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Governor |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D | R | R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R
Senate |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D | R | R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R
House |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R

## Pivot Counties[edit]

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Five of 159 Georgia counties—3.14 percent—are pivot counties. These are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 pivot counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008

County  |  Trump margin of victory in 2016  |  Obama margin of victory in 2012  |  Obama margin of victory in 2008
Baker County, Georgia | 8.68% | 0.57% | 1.07%
Dooly County, Georgia | 2.05% | 6.98% | 3.53%
Peach County, Georgia | 2.91% | 7.48% | 6.75%
Quitman County, Georgia | 10.92% | 9.04% | 7.90%
Twiggs County, Georgia | 1.58% | 8.64% | 6.97%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Georgia with 50.8 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 45.6 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Georgia voted Democratic 63.33 percent of the time and Republican 36.67 percent of the time. Georgia voted Republican in every presidential election from 2000 to 2016.

#### Presidential results by legislative district[edit]

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Georgia. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[83][84]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 64 out of 180 state House districts in Georgia with an average margin of victory of 45.5 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 74 out of 180 state House districts in Georgia with an average margin of victory of 42.3 points. Clinton won 14 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.

In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 116 out of 180 state House districts in Georgia with an average margin of victory of 36.6 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 106 out of 180 state House districts in Georgia with an average margin of victory of 36.8 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

2016 presidential results by state House district

District |  Obama |  Romney |  2012 Margin |  Clinton |  Trump |  2016 Margin |  Party Control
1 | 24.59% | 73.49% | R+48.9 | 18.33% | 78.10% | R+59.8 | R
2 | 22.14% | 76.22% | R+54.1 | 15.51% | 81.50% | R+66 | R
3 | 23.05% | 75.08% | R+52 | 18.64% | 77.94% | R+59.3 | R
4 | 32.11% | 66.73% | R+34.6 | 33.09% | 63.58% | R+30.5 | R
5 | 20.99% | 77.56% | R+56.6 | 17.38% | 79.95% | R+62.6 | R
6 | 22.66% | 75.78% | R+53.1 | 19.28% | 78.15% | R+58.9 | R
7 | 18.83% | 79.93% | R+61.1 | 16.26% | 81.63% | R+65.4 | R
8 | 19.75% | 78.79% | R+59 | 17.01% | 80.65% | R+63.6 | R
9 | 15.29% | 83.06% | R+67.8 | 14.76% | 81.57% | R+66.8 | R
10 | 16.34% | 82.49% | R+66.1 | 14.77% | 82.43% | R+67.7 | R
11 | 17.74% | 80.81% | R+63.1 | 14.12% | 83.40% | R+69.3 | R
12 | 25.59% | 72.86% | R+47.3 | 20.35% | 77.06% | R+56.7 | R
13 | 35.70% | 62.94% | R+27.2 | 33.39% | 63.13% | R+29.7 | R
14 | 20.15% | 78.39% | R+58.2 | 17.29% | 79.95% | R+62.7 | R
15 | 26.96% | 71.58% | R+44.6 | 24.54% | 72.30% | R+47.8 | R
16 | 23.79% | 74.95% | R+51.2 | 18.10% | 79.74% | R+61.6 | R
17 | 23.36% | 75.50% | R+52.1 | 23.02% | 73.98% | R+51 | R
18 | 29.93% | 68.66% | R+38.7 | 26.14% | 70.83% | R+44.7 | R
19 | 29.46% | 69.22% | R+39.8 | 31.16% | 65.71% | R+34.6 | R
20 | 23.09% | 75.03% | R+51.9 | 26.37% | 68.76% | R+42.4 | R
21 | 19.48% | 78.70% | R+59.2 | 22.00% | 73.27% | R+51.3 | R
22 | 16.80% | 81.60% | R+64.8 | 21.44% | 74.42% | R+53 | R
23 | 20.52% | 77.66% | R+57.1 | 22.07% | 73.64% | R+51.6 | R
24 | 17.81% | 80.67% | R+62.9 | 21.56% | 73.96% | R+52.4 | R
25 | 21.70% | 77.05% | R+55.3 | 32.10% | 63.74% | R+31.6 | R
26 | 14.56% | 83.89% | R+69.3 | 18.43% | 77.66% | R+59.2 | R
27 | 15.62% | 83.00% | R+67.4 | 16.26% | 80.92% | R+64.7 | R
28 | 17.56% | 81.23% | R+63.7 | 15.37% | 82.27% | R+66.9 | R
29 | 31.73% | 66.98% | R+35.3 | 32.94% | 63.21% | R+30.3 | R
30 | 21.69% | 76.74% | R+55 | 24.56% | 71.98% | R+47.4 | R
31 | 16.84% | 81.82% | R+65 | 15.76% | 81.14% | R+65.4 | R
32 | 24.07% | 74.41% | R+50.3 | 19.58% | 78.30% | R+58.7 | R
33 | 31.40% | 67.45% | R+36.1 | 26.87% | 70.96% | R+44.1 | R
34 | 33.92% | 64.28% | R+30.4 | 39.66% | 55.82% | R+16.2 | R
35 | 38.10% | 60.28% | R+22.2 | 42.81% | 52.42% | R+9.6 | R
36 | 24.38% | 74.30% | R+49.9 | 29.80% | 66.20% | R+36.4 | R
37 | 43.83% | 54.52% | R+10.7 | 48.89% | 46.46% | D+2.4 | R
38 | 60.41% | 38.62% | D+21.8 | 64.07% | 33.08% | D+31 | D
39 | 75.10% | 23.95% | D+51.1 | 78.09% | 19.54% | D+58.5 | D
40 | 45.00% | 53.24% | R+8.2 | 54.52% | 40.56% | D+14 | R
41 | 62.15% | 36.51% | D+25.6 | 64.86% | 31.62% | D+33.2 | D
42 | 68.42% | 29.97% | D+38.4 | 68.61% | 26.72% | D+41.9 | D
43 | 38.77% | 59.40% | R+20.6 | 46.47% | 48.56% | R+2.1 | R
44 | 33.75% | 63.93% | R+30.2 | 39.79% | 54.74% | R+14.9 | R
45 | 30.98% | 67.21% | R+36.2 | 41.50% | 53.61% | R+12.1 | R
46 | 27.84% | 70.25% | R+42.4 | 34.24% | 60.65% | R+26.4 | R
47 | 28.08% | 70.51% | R+42.4 | 38.02% | 57.47% | R+19.4 | R
48 | 37.71% | 60.31% | R+22.6 | 45.85% | 48.81% | R+3 | R
49 | 34.61% | 63.82% | R+29.2 | 44.57% | 50.58% | R+6 | R
50 | 35.98% | 62.65% | R+26.7 | 47.45% | 48.69% | R+1.2 | R
51 | 41.99% | 56.48% | R+14.5 | 50.15% | 44.99% | D+5.2 | R
52 | 36.77% | 61.94% | R+25.2 | 49.71% | 45.43% | D+4.3 | R
53 | 73.52% | 25.53% | D+48 | 77.16% | 18.98% | D+58.2 | D
54 | 40.58% | 58.07% | R+17.5 | 54.55% | 40.79% | D+13.8 | R
55 | 83.91% | 15.09% | D+68.8 | 84.84% | 11.77% | D+73.1 | D
56 | 87.70% | 11.09% | D+76.6 | 87.74% | 8.94% | D+78.8 | D
57 | 82.83% | 15.94% | D+66.9 | 85.62% | 11.02% | D+74.6 | D
58 | 87.26% | 11.21% | D+76.1 | 88.49% | 7.87% | D+80.6 | D
59 | 87.41% | 10.84% | D+76.6 | 87.27% | 9.08% | D+78.2 | D
60 | 88.96% | 10.53% | D+78.4 | 90.79% | 7.32% | D+83.5 | D
61 | 82.95% | 16.50% | D+66.5 | 82.57% | 15.51% | D+67.1 | D
62 | 81.40% | 18.05% | D+63.4 | 82.69% | 15.44% | D+67.3 | D
63 | 71.58% | 27.78% | D+43.8 | 73.97% | 24.02% | D+49.9 | D
64 | 69.30% | 30.15% | D+39.1 | 70.36% | 27.44% | D+42.9 | D
65 | 80.57% | 18.97% | D+61.6 | 81.08% | 17.15% | D+63.9 | D
66 | 53.46% | 45.64% | D+7.8 | 56.72% | 40.59% | D+16.1 | D
67 | 31.46% | 67.23% | R+35.8 | 31.50% | 65.51% | R+34 | R
68 | 27.70% | 71.08% | R+43.4 | 26.14% | 70.90% | R+44.8 | R
69 | 25.45% | 73.10% | R+47.7 | 23.33% | 73.96% | R+50.6 | R
70 | 31.26% | 67.48% | R+36.2 | 31.56% | 64.90% | R+33.3 | R
71 | 21.50% | 77.16% | R+55.7 | 22.29% | 73.84% | R+51.5 | R
72 | 22.11% | 76.41% | R+54.3 | 25.46% | 70.56% | R+45.1 | R
73 | 34.83% | 64.14% | R+29.3 | 37.99% | 59.21% | R+21.2 | R
74 | 86.99% | 12.68% | D+74.3 | 86.51% | 11.95% | D+74.6 | D
75 | 83.95% | 15.53% | D+68.4 | 83.71% | 14.28% | D+69.4 | D
76 | 80.47% | 19.06% | D+61.4 | 80.34% | 17.67% | D+62.7 | D
77 | 90.59% | 9.03% | D+81.6 | 89.32% | 9.13% | D+80.2 | D
78 | 75.77% | 23.63% | D+52.1 | 77.40% | 20.70% | D+56.7 | D
79 | 41.91% | 56.52% | R+14.6 | 52.42% | 42.92% | D+9.5 | R
80 | 42.54% | 55.68% | R+13.1 | 54.21% | 40.41% | D+13.8 | R
81 | 51.71% | 46.40% | D+5.3 | 59.53% | 35.29% | D+24.2 | D
82 | 61.00% | 37.01% | D+24 | 71.24% | 24.55% | D+46.7 | D
83 | 86.80% | 12.13% | D+74.7 | 88.45% | 8.62% | D+79.8 | D
84 | 86.06% | 12.96% | D+73.1 | 88.43% | 8.98% | D+79.5 | D
85 | 85.47% | 13.30% | D+72.2 | 86.00% | 10.70% | D+75.3 | D
86 | 77.13% | 21.82% | D+55.3 | 79.72% | 17.14% | D+62.6 | D
87 | 83.03% | 16.15% | D+66.9 | 83.50% | 14.06% | D+69.4 | D
88 | 77.84% | 21.44% | D+56.4 | 79.10% | 18.35% | D+60.8 | D
89 | 89.42% | 9.07% | D+80.3 | 90.41% | 6.40% | D+84 | D
90 | 76.41% | 23.09% | D+53.3 | 76.26% | 22.14% | D+54.1 | D
91 | 71.58% | 27.81% | D+43.8 | 73.80% | 24.25% | D+49.5 | D
92 | 81.39% | 18.08% | D+63.3 | 81.15% | 16.93% | D+64.2 | D
93 | 76.70% | 22.66% | D+54 | 78.87% | 19.09% | D+59.8 | D
94 | 79.72% | 19.56% | D+60.2 | 80.73% | 17.01% | D+63.7 | D
95 | 42.53% | 55.99% | R+13.5 | 49.81% | 45.53% | D+4.3 | R
96 | 56.53% | 41.64% | D+14.9 | 61.84% | 34.14% | D+27.7 | D
97 | 32.15% | 66.25% | R+34.1 | 41.38% | 54.28% | R+12.9 | R
98 | 30.33% | 68.23% | R+37.9 | 34.80% | 61.14% | R+26.3 | R
99 | 71.34% | 27.36% | D+44 | 74.04% | 22.41% | D+51.6 | D
100 | 75.08% | 23.78% | D+51.3 | 76.18% | 20.68% | D+55.5 | D
101 | 47.33% | 51.24% | R+3.9 | 54.22% | 41.58% | D+12.6 | D
102 | 38.64% | 59.59% | R+20.9 | 45.67% | 49.43% | R+3.8 | R
103 | 22.68% | 75.95% | R+53.3 | 26.93% | 69.29% | R+42.4 | R
104 | 30.82% | 67.93% | R+37.1 | 40.21% | 56.12% | R+15.9 | R
105 | 50.77% | 48.36% | D+2.4 | 52.14% | 44.88% | D+7.3 | R
106 | 42.29% | 56.44% | R+14.1 | 49.74% | 47.07% | D+2.7 | R
107 | 45.20% | 53.22% | R+8 | 53.78% | 42.22% | D+11.6 | R
108 | 38.64% | 59.72% | R+21.1 | 48.10% | 47.65% | D+0.5 | R
109 | 38.25% | 60.84% | R+22.6 | 43.64% | 53.70% | R+10.1 | R
110 | 38.67% | 60.44% | R+21.8 | 38.94% | 58.73% | R+19.8 | R
111 | 49.19% | 49.81% | R+0.6 | 50.02% | 47.45% | D+2.6 | R
112 | 30.34% | 68.53% | R+38.2 | 28.46% | 69.09% | R+40.6 | R
113 | 70.01% | 29.34% | D+40.7 | 70.93% | 27.16% | D+43.8 | D
114 | 24.42% | 74.28% | R+49.9 | 27.08% | 69.78% | R+42.7 | R
115 | 25.05% | 73.96% | R+48.9 | 21.86% | 75.71% | R+53.8 | R
116 | 22.38% | 75.96% | R+53.6 | 21.50% | 74.72% | R+53.2 | R
117 | 43.85% | 54.33% | R+10.5 | 46.06% | 49.44% | R+3.4 | D
118 | 70.03% | 27.73% | D+42.3 | 72.30% | 23.85% | D+48.4 | D
119 | 39.17% | 58.60% | R+19.4 | 43.90% | 51.13% | R+7.2 | D
120 | 37.24% | 61.81% | R+24.6 | 35.23% | 62.85% | R+27.6 | R
121 | 34.55% | 64.38% | R+29.8 | 33.78% | 63.33% | R+29.6 | R
122 | 25.27% | 73.58% | R+48.3 | 27.39% | 68.99% | R+41.6 | R
123 | 30.23% | 68.67% | R+38.4 | 32.20% | 64.30% | R+32.1 | R
124 | 68.87% | 30.10% | D+38.8 | 67.16% | 29.95% | D+37.2 | D
125 | 64.05% | 35.27% | D+28.8 | 61.49% | 36.47% | D+25 | D
126 | 71.14% | 28.33% | D+42.8 | 67.70% | 30.69% | D+37 | D
127 | 71.70% | 27.73% | D+44 | 69.62% | 28.60% | D+41 | D
128 | 58.68% | 40.74% | D+17.9 | 53.91% | 45.01% | D+8.9 | D
129 | 34.82% | 64.33% | R+29.5 | 30.56% | 67.28% | R+36.7 | R
130 | 41.36% | 57.52% | R+16.2 | 38.50% | 59.23% | R+20.7 | R
131 | 30.10% | 69.02% | R+38.9 | 26.45% | 71.84% | R+45.4 | R
132 | 52.31% | 46.76% | D+5.5 | 47.39% | 50.36% | R+3 | D
133 | 26.96% | 72.09% | R+45.1 | 26.40% | 71.27% | R+44.9 | R
134 | 32.39% | 66.58% | R+34.2 | 33.09% | 63.59% | R+30.5 | R
135 | 75.20% | 24.15% | D+51.1 | 71.83% | 25.62% | D+46.2 | D
136 | 76.64% | 22.90% | D+53.7 | 74.36% | 23.45% | D+50.9 | D
137 | 61.33% | 38.05% | D+23.3 | 57.56% | 40.47% | D+17.1 | D
138 | 49.61% | 49.57% | D+0 | 44.79% | 53.44% | R+8.7 | D
139 | 62.73% | 36.73% | D+26 | 56.98% | 41.79% | D+15.2 | D
140 | 42.66% | 56.37% | R+13.7 | 36.47% | 61.24% | R+24.8 | R
141 | 33.52% | 65.50% | R+32 | 35.91% | 61.38% | R+25.5 | R
142 | 72.69% | 26.82% | D+45.9 | 69.80% | 28.67% | D+41.1 | D
143 | 72.80% | 26.38% | D+46.4 | 72.74% | 24.59% | D+48.2 | D
144 | 37.33% | 61.88% | R+24.5 | 33.67% | 64.40% | R+30.7 | R
145 | 49.55% | 49.52% | D+0 | 45.42% | 52.08% | R+6.7 | R
146 | 33.17% | 65.78% | R+32.6 | 33.28% | 63.67% | R+30.4 | R
147 | 42.82% | 55.88% | R+13.1 | 45.91% | 50.87% | R+5 | R
148 | 36.88% | 62.49% | R+25.6 | 32.66% | 65.69% | R+33 | R
149 | 34.99% | 64.01% | R+29 | 28.75% | 69.67% | R+40.9 | R
150 | 38.10% | 61.18% | R+23.1 | 34.09% | 64.38% | R+30.3 | R
151 | 56.09% | 43.44% | D+12.7 | 52.05% | 46.87% | D+5.2 | R
152 | 27.10% | 72.15% | R+45 | 24.18% | 74.01% | R+49.8 | R
153 | 65.09% | 34.35% | D+30.7 | 64.29% | 34.03% | D+30.3 | D
154 | 64.12% | 35.37% | D+28.7 | 61.05% | 37.84% | D+23.2 | D
155 | 32.85% | 66.34% | R+33.5 | 27.89% | 70.48% | R+42.6 | R
156 | 27.90% | 71.11% | R+43.2 | 23.40% | 75.08% | R+51.7 | R
157 | 31.00% | 68.11% | R+37.1 | 25.57% | 72.59% | R+47 | R
158 | 40.23% | 59.08% | R+18.8 | 34.85% | 63.53% | R+28.7 | R
159 | 36.50% | 62.45% | R+25.9 | 31.08% | 66.39% | R+35.3 | R
160 | 34.41% | 64.13% | R+29.7 | 30.97% | 65.40% | R+34.4 | R
161 | 30.32% | 68.49% | R+38.2 | 31.61% | 65.21% | R+33.6 | R
162 | 71.15% | 27.88% | D+43.3 | 69.50% | 27.89% | D+41.6 | D
163 | 72.75% | 26.10% | D+46.7 | 73.06% | 23.61% | D+49.4 | D
164 | 41.85% | 57.06% | R+15.2 | 41.94% | 54.18% | R+12.2 | R
165 | 66.44% | 32.76% | D+33.7 | 68.06% | 29.12% | D+38.9 | D
166 | 29.14% | 69.78% | R+40.6 | 31.24% | 65.39% | R+34.2 | R
167 | 32.87% | 66.15% | R+33.3 | 30.01% | 67.57% | R+37.6 | R
168 | 64.64% | 34.46% | D+30.2 | 59.49% | 37.96% | D+21.5 | D
169 | 31.08% | 67.86% | R+36.8 | 25.60% | 72.82% | R+47.2 | R
170 | 30.62% | 68.45% | R+37.8 | 26.38% | 71.80% | R+45.4 | R
171 | 41.06% | 58.25% | R+17.2 | 36.53% | 62.23% | R+25.7 | R
172 | 35.73% | 63.65% | R+27.9 | 31.21% | 67.02% | R+35.8 | R
173 | 43.69% | 55.72% | R+12 | 40.54% | 57.80% | R+17.3 | R
174 | 30.98% | 68.00% | R+37 | 26.14% | 71.93% | R+45.8 | R
175 | 32.86% | 66.33% | R+33.5 | 36.55% | 61.37% | R+24.8 | R
176 | 33.55% | 65.50% | R+32 | 29.41% | 68.46% | R+39.1 | R
177 | 66.82% | 32.35% | D+34.5 | 51.94% | 45.63% | D+6.3 | D
178 | 16.00% | 82.80% | R+66.8 | 12.05% | 86.54% | R+74.5 | R
179 | 42.01% | 57.11% | R+15.1 | 39.66% | 57.92% | R+18.3 | R
180 | 33.80% | 64.90% | R+31.1 | 30.05% | 66.93% | R+36.9 | R
Total |  45.51% |  53.33% | R+7.8 |  45.89% |  51.05% | R+5.2 |  \-
Source: Daily Kos

## Recent news[edit]

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Georgia gubernatorial election, 2018 (May 22 Democratic primary) - Google News

## See also[edit]

Georgia government:

* Georgia state executive offices
* Georgia State Legislature
* Georgia courts

Elections:

* Georgia state executive official elections, 2018
* Gubernatorial elections, 2018
* Lieutenant gubernatorial elections, 2018
* Attorney General elections, 2018
* Secretary of State elections, 2018
* State executive official elections, 2018, 2017, 2016

Ballotpedia exclusives:

* State executives compensation
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* Trifecta control of state government

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## External links[edit]

|  Suggest a link

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* Governor of Georgia official website

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The registration deadline was extended to October 16, 2018, in Clay, Grady, Randolph, and Turner counties by executive order of Gov. Nathan Deal in response to Hurricane Michael.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Washington Examiner, "The fate of the Democrats' future may lie in Georgia," June 25, 2017
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Reuters, "In Georgia, battle of the 'Staceys' tests Democrats' future," December 20, 2017
4. ↑ USA Today, "Donors launch $2.5 million push to elect Georgia's first African-American governor," March 6, 2018
5. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Georgia 2018: Roy Barnes endorses Stacey Evans for governor," June 26, 2017
6. ↑ All about Redistricting, "Who draws the lines?" accessed January 24, 2018
7. ↑ Ratings are based on projections found in Governing, Larry Sabato, The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report, Decision Desk HQ, and The Cook Political Report. These ratings are updated periodically throughout the election season.
8. ↑ The Guardian, "Meet the Democrat who wants to be America's first black female governor," May 3, 2017
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Georgia 2018: Abrams-aligned progressive group to launch major canvassing effort," April 3, 2018
10. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "A divide over the two Staceys has Georgia Democrats worried," August 25, 2017
11. ↑ The Root, "In the Race for Georgia Governor, Can Stacey Abrams Usher In a New Southern Strategy for the Democrats?," January 17, 2018
12. ↑ Stacey Abrams for Governor, "Meet Stacey," accessed April 2, 2018
13. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "The Stacey Evans speech protesters wouldn't let her deliver," August 14, 2017
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "A divide over the two Staceys has Georgia Democrats worried," August 25, 2017
15. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Ga. state Rep. Stacey Evans donates $500K to UGA law school," July 31, 2015
16. ↑ Fortune, "Abrams’ Georgia Primary Win Signals a Shift for Black Women in the Democratic Party," May 24, 2018
17. ↑ CNN, "What Stacey Abrams' massive primary win means for her chances to be the nation's first black woman governor," May 23, 2018
18. ↑ New York Magazine, "Stacey Abrams and the New Democratic Coalition in the South," May 23, 2018
19. ↑ Time, "How Stacey Abrams’ Historic Win Could Change the Democratic Party," May 24, 2018
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Email communication with Ballotpedia.
21. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Georgia 2018: Hillary Clinton endorses Abrams in gov race," May 21, 2018
22. ↑ GeorgiaPol, "Sen. Bernie Sanders Endorses Stacey Abrams," May 17, 2018
23. ↑ BuzzFeed, "Kamala Harris Endorses Stacey Abrams For Georgia Governor," May 2, 2018
24. ↑ GeorgiaPol, "Cong. David Scott Endorses Stacey Abrams for Governor," August 23, 2017
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Georgia 2018: John Lewis endorses Stacey Abrams’ bid for governor," July 24, 2017
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 Politico, "Is this the year Georgia turns blue?," January 22, 2018
27. ↑ Stacey Abrams for Governor, "Reverend Joseph Lowery Endorses Stacey Abrams for Governor of Georgia," August 21, 2017
28. ↑ Stacey Abrams for Governor, "GA-Gov: Wendy Davis (D. TX) Endorses Stacey Abrams (D) For Governor," August 3, 2017
29. ↑ Facebook, "Stacey Abrams," July 13, 2017
30. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Georgia 2018: Stacey Abrams picks up early support in gov bid," June 5, 2017
31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 Stacey Abrams for Governor, "Support for Stacey," accessed January 4, 2018
32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 Atlanta Journal Constitution, "Georgia 2018: Abrams files paperwork to run for governor," May 2, 2017
33. ↑ Hinterland Gazette, "Former US Sen. Max Cleland Endorses Stacey Evans for Governor: She Turned Her Life into a 'Story of Hope,'" March 2, 2018
34. ↑ 34.00 34.01 34.02 34.03 34.04 34.05 34.06 34.07 34.08 34.09 34.10 34.11 34.12 34.13 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Fourteen current, former lawmakers step out for Stacey Evans," August 15, 2017
35. ↑ Atlanta Business Chronicle, "Gubernatorial hopeful Stacey Evans lands Roy Barnes' support," June 26, 2017
36. ↑ Marietta Daily Journal, "AROUND TOWN: Lisa Cupid endorses Stacey Evans in governor’s race," October 25, 2017
37. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "DeKalb DA Sherry Boston gives early punch to Stacey Evans’ bid for governor," June 14, 2017
38. ↑ Project Q, "Stacey Abrams endorsed by Georgia Equality in governor’s race," April 18, 2018
39. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Planned Parenthood endorses Abrams, making waves in Democratic race," April 16, 2018
40. ↑ Albany Herald, "Stacey Abrams picks up GAE endorsement," March 12, 2018
41. ↑ People for the American Way, "PFAW Announces Endorsements of History-Making Candidates for Governor," February 15, 2018
42. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Georgia 2018: Teachers group backs Evans in race for governor," January 30, 2018
43. ↑ Mijente, "Why Is Mijente Mobilizing Latinx for Stacey Abrams?" December 12, 2017
44. ↑ Giffords, "Giffords Endorses Stacey Abrams for Governor of Georgia," November 9, 2017
45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Georgia 2018: Abrams gets backup from progressive powers," November 21, 2017
46. ↑ Twitter, "Stacey Abrams," October 30, 2017
47. ↑ GeorgiaPol.com, "AFL-CIO Endorses Abrams’ Gubernatorial Bid," October 20, 2017
48. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Daily Kos endorses Stacey Abrams in 2018 race for governor," October 4, 2017
49. ↑ NARAL Pro-Choice America, "NARAL Endorses Stacey Abrams for Georgia Governor," August 4, 2017
50. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "The Trump administration may target affirmative action in higher ed," August 2, 2017
51. ↑ Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, "RWDSU Endorses Stacy Abrams for GA Governor," August 2, 2017
52. ↑ EMILY's List, "EMILY's List Endorses Stacey Abrams for Governor of Georgia," accessed December 13, 2017
53. ↑ Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, "Campaign Reports Search," accessed February 25, 2018
54. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Why Abrams is spending so much cash so early in Georgia governor’s race," February 8, 2018
55. ↑ 55.0 55.1 55.2 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Georgia 2018: A closer look at Stacey Abrams and Stacey Evans gov race fundraising," February 7, 2018
56. ↑ GeorgiaPol, "Funded Stacey v. Unfunded Stacey," February 8, 2018
57. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "TV tally: Georgia gov candidates spend more than $12M on campaign ads," May 15, 2018
58. ↑ Emily's List, "WOMEN VOTE! AND BLACK PAC GEORGIA LAUNCH PROGRAM SUPPORTING STACEY ABRAMS," April 25, 2018
59. ↑ USA Today, "Donors launch $2.5 million push to elect Georgia's first African-American governor," March 6, 2018
60. ↑ Marietta Daily Journal, "Stacey Abrams promises 'unapologetically Democratic' campaign at Cobb event," September 2, 2017
61. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Georgia 2018: Stacey Evans launches a HOPE-themed campaign for governor," May 25, 2017
62. ↑ CNN, "Georgia exit polls," March 1, 2016
63. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Kasim Reed on Stacey Evans: ‘She has a powerful message,’" July 6, 2017
64. ↑ 64.0 64.1 Buzzfeed, "Atlanta’s New Mayor Is Endorsing In Georgia’s Democratic Primary And Black Democrats Aren’t Happy About It," March 13, 2018
65. ↑ Atlanta Journal Constitution, "Georgia 2018: Evans revisits scene of her mother’s abuse in latest TV ad," April 20, 2018
66. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Evans vows to ‘finish the job’ with HOPE scholarship in first TV ad," April 6, 2018
67. ↑ Buzzfeed, "Stacey Abrams Wants To Be The First Black Woman Governor. But First She Has To Win The Nomination," August 17, 2017
68. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "On income tax cuts, Georgia Democrats are split," March 22, 2018
69. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Before HOPE divide, Georgia rivals Evans and Abrams worked together," March 18, 2018
70. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Georgia 2018: Abrams criticizes Evans over gun vote," December 19, 2017
71. ↑ 71.0 71.1 71.2 Atlanta Jewish Times, "Video: Abrams, Evans Address Split on BDS Bill," February 23, 2018
72. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Georgians vote 'no' on Opportunity School District," November 8, 2016
73. ↑ Facebook, "Stacey Abrams," March 1, 2017
74. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Georgia 2018: Teachers group backs Evans in race for governor," January 30, 2018
75. ↑ Atlanta Jewish Times, "Staceys Seek Jewish Democratic Support," February 23, 2018
76. ↑ 76.0 76.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
77. ↑ Stacey Abrams for Governor, "Stacey's Vision for Georgia," accessed February 26, 2018
78. ↑ Evans for Georgia, "Priorities," accessed February 26, 2018
79. ↑ The Intercept, "The Democratic Campaign for Georgia Governor is Being Fought over Free College," May 29, 2017
80. ↑ 80.0 80.1 80.2 80.3 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Stacey Evans gets shouted down at Netroots conference," August 17, 2017
81. ↑ United States Census Bureau, "Quick Facts - Georgia," accessed January 3, 2018
82. ↑ Georgia Demographics, "Georgia Cities by Population," accessed January 3, 2018
83. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
84. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017

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