Georgia gubernatorial election, 2018 (May 22 Republican primary)

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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
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Lieutenant Gov. Casey Cagle and Secretary of State Brian Kemp advanced to a July 24 runoff for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Kemp won the runoff.

A crowded Republican field emerged in the race to replace term-limited Gov. Nathan Deal (R), who was first elected in 2010.

Cagle led in fundraising with nearly $7 million in contributions and led in every public poll through May 2018. He never polled higher than 50 percent, the vote percentage necessary to avoid a runoff.

Cagle scored national headlines by blocking a tax break for Delta Airlines in response to the company ending a discount program for National Rifle Association members after the Parkland school shooting. The NRA endorsed Cagle April 12.^[2]

Kemp and state Sen. Hunter Hill raised more than $2 million and alternated between second and third place in polling. Kemp touted his support for Donald Trump's agenda, particularly on immigration. Hill, who was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), emphasized his background as a U.S. Army Ranger and his support for abolishing the state income tax and loosening gun regulations.

State Sen. Michael Williams ran on a pro-Trump platform and put $1.5 million of his own money into the race. Businessman Clay Tippins raised more than $2 million and called himself the outsider candidate.

Following Cagle's blocking of the Delta tax break, the candidates made gun policy a central issue of the campaign, emphasizing it in campaign ads and attacking each other for past and current positions.

In addition to gun policy, the candidates discussed whether to abolish the state income tax, implement a state-level version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and expand medical marijuana access.

The winner of the July 24 Republican primary runoff faced former state Rep. Stacey Abrams (D) in the general election. The primary was May 22, and the general election was November 6, 2018.

Candidates and election results[edit]

Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp advanced to a runoff. They defeated Hunter Hill, Clay Tippins, and Michael Williams in the Republican primary for Governor of Georgia on May 22, 2018.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Eddie Hayes (R)
• Marc Alan Urbach (R)

Election updates[edit]

Endorsements[edit]

• May 16-18, 2018: Former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss and former U.S. Reps. Phil Gingrey, Jack Kingston, and Lynn Westmoreland endorsed Casey Cagle.
• May 7, 2018: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) endorsed Hunter Hill.
• April 13, 2018: Cobb County District Attorney Vic Reynolds endorsed Brian Kemp.

Campaign finance[edit]

• April 8, 2018: Campaign finance disclosures from the March 31 deadline showed Casey Cagle with $4,535,511 in cash on hand entering the final stretch of the campaign. He was followed by Brian Kemp ($1,631,521), Clay Tippins ($1,591,518), Michael Williams ($1,268,818), and Hunter Hill ($1,120,864).

Polls[edit]

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

• May 17, 2018: A survey from FOX 5 Atlanta and Opinion Savvy found Casey Cagle leading with 31 percent, Brian Kemp with 20 percent, Hunter Hill with 14 percent, Michael Williams with 5 percent, and Clay Tippins with 12 percent. Fourteen percent of voters were undecided.
• May 15, 2018: A survey from 11Alive and Survey USA found Casey Cagle leading with 35 percent, Brian Kemp with 17 percent, Hunter Hill with 10 percent, Michael Williams with 3 percent, and Clay Tippins with 8 percent. Twenty-seven percent of voters were undecided.
• April 26, 2018: A survey from the University of Georgia found Casey Cagle leading with 41 percent, Brian Kemp with 10 percent, Hunter Hill with 9 percent, Michael Williams with 3 percent, and Clay Tippins with 4 percent. Thirty-three percent of voters were undecided.

Top candidates[edit]

The candidates featured below raised at least $100,000 in 2017 and received endorsements and mentions in the media.

The lieutenant governor of Georgia since 2007, Lowell S. "Casey" Cagle ran for the state's top executive position by emphasizing what he considered to be his accomplishments as lieutenant governor, particularly in technical school and apprenticeship programs, and on pledges to decrease taxes by $100 million and create 500,000 jobs in Georgia.^[3]

Dr. Andra Gillespie of Emory University described Cagle as coming from the same wing of the Georgia Republican Party as outgoing Gov. Nathan Deal, who prioritized economic development and job creation.^[4] Gov. Deal endorsed Cagle after the May 22 primary.

He boosted his profile in February 2018 when he announced he would block a $40 million tax break for Delta Airlines after the company ended a discount program for members of the National Rifle Association in the aftermath of a school shooting that killed 17 people. "Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back," Cagle said when announcing his position. Delta, one of the largest employers in Georgia, did not reverse its position and the tax breaks were removed.^[5] The NRA endorsed Cagle on April 12.^[2]

Cagle began to run for governor in 2010 but dropped out citing health issues and ran for lieutenant governor again. He was first elected lieutenant governor in 2006 after he defeated Christian Coalition Director Ralph Reed in the Republican primary. Before that he served as a state senator from Gainesville, Georgia, having first been elected in 1994. Prior to his entry into politics, Cagle was a businessman in Gainesville. He attended Georgia Southern University on a football scholarship.

A former state senator from northwest Atlanta, Hunter Hill ran for governor by emphasizing his background as a U.S. Army Ranger and his policy priorities of eliminating the state income tax, doubling the state's investment in transportation, and enacting school choice policies.^[6] He was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

Hill's campaign gained momentum early on when he won a series of Republican Party straw polls, including polls for the Cobb County GOP and the Georgia Republican Party.^[7][8] He finished third in campaign fundraising in 2017, taking in nearly $2.3 million in contributions. He was in a tight race with Secretary of State Brian Kemp for second place in most public polls, usually earning around 10 to 15 percent of the vote.

Hill was first elected as a state senator in 2012. He resigned after the 2017 legislative session in order to concentrate on his gubernatorial bid.^[9] Prior to his political career, Hill worked in commercial real estate and served as president of Tommy Newberry Coaching. He served a U.S. Army Ranger in the early- and mid-2000s, completing two tours of duty in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. He attended West Point Military Academy and received a B.S. in general management.

Georgia's secretary of state since 2010, Brian Kemp ran for governor by emphasizing his plans to invest resources in rural Georgia, his background in business, and his support for President Donald Trump's agenda, most notably his immigration policies. “This is Georgia,” he said when announcing his campaign. “We will be putting Georgia first.” He also said he would “treat rural Georgia the same way we treat metro Atlanta.”^[10][11]

After the May 22 primary, Kemp was endorsed by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence as well as former candidates Hunter Hill, Clay Tippins, and Michael Williams. Before May 22, Kemp was endorsed by Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens, state Rep. Susan Holmes, and former Libertarian presidential candidate Bobb Barr.

Before being elected as secretary of state in 2010, Kemp served in the Georgia State Senate from 2003 to 2007. He ran for state agriculture commissioner in 2006 and lost the Republican primary to Gary Black. His professional experience includes owning the Athens-based business Kemp Properties. Kemp graduated from the University of Georgia, where he earned a B.S. in agriculture.

A businessman and former Navy SEAL from the Atlanta area, Clay Tippins ran for governor saying he would make Georgia a "21st Century state." In a campaign advertisement that debuted during the 2018 Super Bowl, Tippins called for improving literacy rates in Georgia schools, combating sex trafficking in Atlanta, and updating the state government.

Tippins was the only Republican candidate who declined to pledge to sign legislation similar to the Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act that was debated in the state legislature in 2015 and 2016. While supporters said the bill would have prevented adverse state actions against persons practicing their religious beliefs, opponents said it could be used to discriminate against members of the LGBTQ community and would have negative effects on Georgia's economy and business climate, similar to the 2016 bathroom bill in North Carolina.^[12]

Tippins' campaign was supported by former RNC Chairman and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and state Rep. Allen Peake (R), who agreed with Tippins' proposal to expand the availability of medical marijuana. He finished fourth in fundraising in 2017, with $2.2 million in campaign contributions that included a loan of nearly $500,000. His performance in public polls ranged from 12 percent in February 2018 to three percent in March 2018.

Tippins served as a Navy SEAL from when he graduated college in 1995 to 2015, when he was deployed to Iraq. He also worked as an executive for the companies Capgemini and BrightStar Corporation. He attended Stanford University on a swimming scholarship.^[13]

A state senator from suburban Cumming, Georgia, Michael Williams ran for governor by aligning himself with President Donald Trump, emphasizing that he was the first elected official in Georgia to endorse Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign and was the co-chair of Trump's Georgia campaign. In addition to his support for Trump's policies opposing sanctuary jurisdictions and preserving Confederate monuments, Williams favored abolishing the state income tax and replacing it with a sales tax, increasing salaries for Georgia law enforcement officers, and expanding the availability of medical marijuana.^[14] In May 2018, he began a "Deportation Bus" tour which he said was supposed to raise awareness about unauthorized immigration into the country.^[15]

Williams' campaign was endorsed by former Trump advisor Roger Stone and Duane Chapman (AKA Dog the Bounty Hunter), who supports his law enforcement policies. Williams raised $1.7 million in 2017, which included $1.5 million in personal loans. He usually finished fifth in public polling for the race.

Williams was first elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2010 after he defeated state Sen. Jack Murphy, a longtime incumbent from the Cumming area, in the Republican primary. Prior to that, he was a businessman and a certified public accountant.

Candidates[edit]

See also: Statistics on gubernatorial candidates, 2018

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See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2018 (May 22 Republican primary)

Note: Hayes and Urbach withdrew from the race, but still appeared on the primary ballot.

 Republican primary candidates

• Casey Cagle ✔
• Hunter Hill
• Brian Kemp ✔
• Clay Tippins
• Michael Williams

Did not make the ballot:

• Eddie Hayes
• Marc Alan Urbach

Political reaction to outcome of May 22 primary[edit]

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Only Cagle staked out positions with an eye toward the general election, thanks to a commanding lead in the polls that offered him more flexibility than his rivals. He entered the race with a pledge to cut taxes by $100 million – a more modest proposal than many rivals – and aired mostly sunny campaign ads touting the economy and workforce development initiatives. As some opponents took hard-line positions to his right, he rejected calls to eliminate more tax breaks, fund broad new pay increases for local law enforcement and adopt some social legislation.

Kemp is sure to sharpen his attacks. He’s angled for the same rural vote that powered Trump’s victory in Georgia, and he focused his final pitch on red-meat issues such as new crackdowns on illegal immigration and a tough-on-crime initiative aimed at gangs. But he also faces vulnerabilities over his business record and blunders he oversaw that include the accidental disclosure in 2015 of Social Security numbers and other private information of more than 6 million voters to media outlets and political parties."^[16]

• Greg Bluestein, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Secretary of State Brian Kemp might have earned a spot in the Republican runoff for governor without any of his attention-grabbing ads. After all, he had high name recognition, solid fundraising and a relentless attempt to out-conservative rivals. But a pair of provocative spots – and the roughly $1 million his campaign put behind them – appeared to help fuel his rise past former state Sen. Hunter Hill to a spot in a July 24 runoff against Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle. One featured him cleaning a shotgun next to “Jake,” a young suitor of his daughter who nervously shifted in his seat. The other featured explosions, guns, a chainsaw – and a boast that he has a big pickup truck “just in case I need to round up criminal illegals and take 'em home myself.”

He also had some help from Cagle, who decided in the late stages of the race he’d rather face Kemp than Hill – and focused his campaign’s machinery on attacking Hill’s record. There were shadowy campaign mailers labeling Hill a “convenient conservative” that came of uncertain origin, but that Cagle soon echoed in campaign trail rhetoric. And Cagle seemed to catch Hill off-guard with direct attacks at debates about his plan to eliminate the state income tax. Kemp, meanwhile, often sported a wide grin as the two traded barbs around him. But his world is about to heat up.

Cagle’s campaign figures he matches up more favorably against Kemp, who also has a long record in statewide office and a somewhat similar base of support. Neither can effectively claim to be a political outsider, unlike Hill – a military veteran who stepped down from the state Senate to wage his campaign. Expect Kemp to paint Cagle as a squishy conservative beholden to 'special interests.' That was his pitch on Tuesday night at his campaign party in an Athens hotel, when he said lobbyists showered him with millions of dollars.

'And still, the vast majorities of hardworking Georgians rejected Casey Cagle tonight and those who own him. Folks, he’s not a leader, he’s a puppet. And yeah, I just said that,' said Kemp. 'He is not fighting for us, but he’s fighting for those that have the deep pockets and whose interests are not ours.'

Cagle had a more positive message on Tuesday, and he didn’t overtly attack Kemp. But he’s likely to frame Kemp as an incompetent manager who oversaw embarrassing data breaches and disclosures that tarred the secretary of state’s office. Get ready for a long nine weeks."^[17]

Timeline[edit]

• May 16-18, 2018: Former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss and former U.S. Reps. Phil Gingrey, Jack Kingston, and Lynn Westmoreland endorsed Casey Cagle.
• May 17, 2018: A survey from FOX 5 Atlanta and Opinion Savvy found Casey Cagle leading with 31 percent, Brian Kemp with 20 percent, Hunter Hill with 14 percent, Michael Williams with 5 percent, and Clay Tippins with 12 percent. Fourteen percent of voters were undecided.
• May 15, 2018: A survey from 11Alive and Survey USA found Casey Cagle leading with 35 percent, Brian Kemp with 17 percent, Hunter Hill with 10 percent, Michael Williams with 3 percent, and Clay Tippins with 8 percent. Twenty-seven percent of voters were undecided.
• May 7, 2018: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) endorsed Hunter Hill.
• May 1, 2018: Marc Alan Urbach withdrew from the race and endorsed Michael Williams.
• April 26, 2018: A survey from the University of Georgia found Casey Cagle leading with 41 percent, Brian Kemp with 10 percent, Hunter Hill with 9 percent, Michael Williams with 3 percent, and Clay Tippins with 4 percent. Thirty-three percent of voters were undecided.
• April 27, 2018: Brian Kemp released his "Jake" campaign ad.^[18]
• April 19, 2018: Clay Tippins released his "Bang" campaign ad that opposed Casey Cagle and Hunter Hill as part of a $500,000 buy.^[19]
• April 13, 2018: Cobb County District Attorney Vic Reynolds endorsed Brian Kemp.
• April 13, 2018: Casey Cagle released his campaign ad "History." Watch the ad here.
• April 12, 2018: The National Rifle Association endorsed Casey Cagle.^[2]
• April 12, 2018: Georgia Realtors endorsed Casey Cagle.
• April 10, 2018: Educators First endorsed Casey Cagle.^[20]
• April 8, 2018: Campaign finance disclosures from the March 31 deadline showed Casey Cagle with $4,535,511 in cash on hand entering the final stretch of the campaign. He was followed by Brian Kemp ($1,631,521), Clay Tippins ($1,591,518), Michael Williams ($1,268,818), and Hunter Hill ($1,120,864).
• April 4, 2018: The Cagle campaign launched its next ad in the $4.4 million buy on April 4. "Difference" was set to be played in the Albany, Atlanta, Augusta, Chattanooga, Columbus, Jacksonville, Macon, Savannah, and Tallahassee media markets.^[21] Watch the ad here.
• March 21, 2018: Casey Cagle began airing a campaign ad expressing his opposition to unauthorized immigration and a tax break for Delta Airlines.
• March 9, 2018: A poll from Clarion Research that was paid for by Hunter Hill's campaign found that while a plurality of voters were undecided (36 percent), Casey Cagle led with 33 percent and was followed by Hill (17 percent), Brian Kemp (9 percent), Clay Tippins (3 percent), and Michael Williams (3 percent).
• March 8, 2018: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that former Mississippi Gov. and RNC chairman Haley Barbour was endorsing Clay Tippins and would hold a fundraiser for him.
• February 26, 2018: Casey Cagle announced that he would oppose a tax break for Delta Airlines, one of the state's largest employers, after it rescinded a discount program for members of the National Rifle Association following a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people.

Polls[edit]

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

Georgia Governor, Republican Primary 2018
Poll	Casey Cagle	Brian Kemp	Hunter Hill	Michael Williams	Clay Tippins	Undecided	Margin of error	Sample size
Fox 5 Atlanta/Opinion Savvy (May 15-16)	31%	20%	14%	5%	12%	15%	+/-4.3	515
11Alive/SurveyUSA (May 10-15)	35%	17%	10%	3%	8%	27%	+/-5.1	558
University of Georgia (April 19-26)	41%	10%	9%	3%	4%	33%	+/-4.4	507
Clarion Research (paid for by Hill campaign) (March 2-3)	33%	9%	17%	3%	3%	36%	+/-4.5	547
Meeting Street Research on behalf of the pro-Cagle Citizens for Georgia’s Future (March 1-4)	38%	10%	10%	2%	3%	35%	+/-4.38	500
Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy (February 2018)	27%	13%	11%	5%	12%	31%	+/-4.5	500
The Wickers Group (Ocotber 21-24, 2017)	34%	13%	1%	1%	0%	48%	+/-4.5	400
Landmark Communications/RosettaStone (October 16-17, 2017)	35%	7%	9%	4%	1%	44%	+/-3.5	800
McLaughlin & Associates (September 28 - October 1, 2017)	41%	12%	4%	3%	2%	39%	+/-4.0	600
AVERAGES	35%	12.33%	9.44%	3.22%	5%	34.22%	+/-4.35	547.44
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.

Endorsements[edit]

Know of an endorsement we missed? Please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Republican candidate endorsements
Endorsement	Date	Cagle	Hill	Kemp	Tippins	Williams
National figures
Former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.)[22]	May 18, 2018	✔
Former U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.)[23]	May 18, 2018	✔
Former U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.)[24]	May 17, 2018	✔
Former U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.)[25]	May 16, 2018	✔
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)[26]	May 7, 2018		✔
Haley Barbour, former Mississippi governor and former RNC chairman[27]	March 8, 2018				✔
Bob Barr, former U.S. representative from GA-07 and 2008 Libertarian presidential candidate[28]	August 25, 2017			✔
State and local figures
Former candidate Marc Alan Urbach[29]	May 2, 2018					✔
Cobby County District Attorney Vic Reynolds[30]	April 13, 2018			✔
State Rep. Allen Peake (R)[31]	March 8, 2018				✔
State Rep. Susan Holmes (R)[32]	September 27, 2017			✔
Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens (R)[28]	August 25, 2017			✔
State Rep. Ron Stephens (R)[33]	August 1, 2017	✔
State Sen. Jesse Stone (R)[33]	August 1, 2017	✔
State Sen. Ellis Black (R)[33]	August 1, 2017	✔
State Sen. Jack Hill (R)[33]	August 1, 2017	✔
State Sen. Ben Watson (R)[33]	August 1, 2017	✔
State Rep. Dewayne Hill (R)[34]	June 21, 2017	✔
State Rep. John Deffenbaugh (R)[34]	June 21, 2017	✔
State Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R)[34]	June 21, 2017	✔
State Sen. Jeff Mullis (R)[34]	June 21, 2017	✔
State Rep. Sam Teasley[26]	Unknown		✔
State Rep. Michael Caldwell[26]	Unknown		✔
State Rep. Wes Cantrell[26]	Unknown		✔
Organizations
Georgia Realtors[35]	April 11, 2018	✔
National Rifle Association[5]	April 12, 2018	✔
Educators First[20]	April 10, 2018	✔
Media figures
Barbara Dooley, Athens media figure[28]	August 25, 2017			✔
Roger Stone, former advisor to Donald Trump[36]	August 11, 2017					✔
Duane Chapman AKA Dog the Bounty Hunter[37]	July 4, 2017					✔
Business figures
Jim Brady, COO of Grant Thorton[32]	September 28, 2017			✔

Campaign finance[edit]

Campaign finance reports[38]
Candidate	Filing deadline	Contributions	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
Casey Cagle
	June 30, 2017	$2,659,061.92	$143,866.36	$2,515,195.56
	January 31, 2018	$4,111,046.90	$893,864.10	$5,732,378.36
	March 31, 2018	$20,206.50	$1,217,073.86	$4,535,511.00
Total	-	$6,790,315.32	$2,254,804.32	$4,535,511.00
Hunter Hill
	June 30, 2017	$1,148,529.59	$220,084.67	$928,444.92
	January 31, 2018	$1,110,632.05	$553,039.87	$1,486,037.10
	March 31, 2018	$442,891.90	$808,064.52	$1,120,864.48
Total	-	$2,702,053.54	$1,581,189.06	$1,120,864.48
Brian Kemp
	June 30, 2017	$1,710,592.00	$186,691.20	$1,523,900.80
	January 31, 2018	$1,174,546.48	$574,857.74	$2,123,589.54
	March 31, 2018	$34,970.26	$527,038.52	$1,631,521.28
Total	-	$2,920,108.74	$1,288,587.46	$1,631,521.28
Clay Tippins
	January 31, 2018	$2,139,341.28	$413,252.35	$1,726,088.93
	March 31, 2018	$405,177.00	$539,747.10	$1,591,518.83
Total	-	$2,544,518.28	$952,999.45	$1,591,518.83
Michael Williams
	June 30, 2017	$1,051,831.12	$107,806.65	$944,024.47
	January 31, 2018	$729,671.29	$330,948.55	$1,342,747.21
	March 31, 2018	$4,501.45	$78,430.43	$1,268,818.23
Total	-	$1,786,003.86	$517,185.63	$1,268,818.23

Satellite spending[edit]

• Citizens for Georgia's Future: This group had spent $1.2 million on campaign ads for Casey Cagle as of March 6, 2018, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In addition to the campaign ads, the group paid for a poll in March that showed Cagle's share of the vote rising after he led a movement to remove tax breaks for Delta Airlines. The company ended a discount program for members of the National Rifle Association in the aftermath of a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people.^[39]

Campaign strategies and tactics[edit]

2018 Delta tax legislation[edit]

After Delta Airlines announced that it would cancel a discount program for members of the National Rifle Association in the aftermath of a Feb. 14 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people, Lieutenant Gov. Casey Cagle (R) tweeted that he would oppose any tax legislation that benefitted Delta unless it reinstated the discount program. "Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back," Cagle said on February 26.^[40] Delta, one of the largest employers in Georgia and in control many of the terminals at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, did not reinstate the discount.

Cagle and members of the Republican-controlled Georgia State Senate later removed a $40 million sales tax exemption on jet fuel from a broader tax package that passed on March 1, 2018, and was signed into law by Gov. Nathan Deal (R). Deal said he opposed the removal of the Delta tax break and that he only signed the tax package because it contained other provisions he agreed with. He said, “We were not elected to give the late-night talk show hosts fodder for their monologues or to act with the type of immaturity that has caused so many in our society to have a cynical view of politics.”^[5]

Responses[edit]

• Casey Cagle: After Cagle led the movement to remove the tax reductions, an affiliated political committee, Citizens for Georgia's Future, released polling that showed him increasing his share of the primary vote from 31 percent to 38 percent, which was his highest showing in a poll up to that point.^[39]

• Hunter Hill: Hill posted on Facebook that he disagreed with Cagle's actions because he believed the tax break for Delta was poor public policy in the first place and that Cagle's use of legislation to punish a private corporation would harm what he called a "fair and predictable environment for ALL businesses."^[41]

• Brian Kemp: Kemp released a statement in support of ending the tax break for Delta (which he opposed in the first place) and saying that the state legislature should replace the tax break with a July 4 sales tax holiday that included the purchase of firearms and ammunition.^[42]

In April, Kemp wrote a letter to NRA chief executive Chris Cox saying that Delta would still receive a tax exemption from a separate mass transit bill passed by the General Assembly. “As those of us involved in Georgia politics like to say: You’ve been Casey Cagled,” he said. “He tells you one thing while cutting secret deals to help Delta down the line.” Cagle's campaign said that Delta could not benefit from the mass transit measure because it only applied to regional airports.^[43]

• Clay Tippins: Tippins said he opposed the Delta tax break in the first place and was supportive of removing it. He said, "We need to have a great pro-business environment here in Georgia, but it needs to be equal for all businesses--big, small. It can't be that companies that don't have a lobbyist, can't afford a lobbyist to come down here get a different outcome than businesses that do."^[44]

• Michael Williams: Williams said that he opposed the tax break for Delta before the NRA discount was revoked. He also told CNN that Delta provided a similar discount for Planned Parenthood, which CNN did not find evidence of.^[45]

Policies[edit]

Abortion[edit]

After Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) signed legislation in March 2018 banning most abortions earlier than 15 weeks, the candidates all released statements expressing support for the legislation and either touting their past record on abortion or laying out their preferred abortion policy.^[46]

• Casey Cagle said his "strong pro-life record speaks for itself" and said he had supported legislation making most abortions illegal after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

• Hunter Hill said he agreed with Bryant and, as governor, would sign "any bill that moves the protection of innocent life closer to conception."

• Brian Kemp said he would try to pass a law that was more strict than Mississippi bill. He said he would "sign the toughest abortion laws in the country as your next governor."

• Clay Tippins said the bill "reflects that science increasingly confirms what I have always believed: Life begins at conception."

• Michael Williams said he supported a heartbeat bill that would ban abortions at six to eight weeks if a heartbeat was detected.

Gun policy[edit]

In addition to the debate over Delta and the National Rifle Association, all of the candidates discussed gun policy and touted their support for loosening firearm restrictions in their campaigns.

Brian Kemp and Hunter Hill both spoke about their support for loosening or maintaining gun regulations in campaign ads.

Kemp put $1 million behind an ad showing him pointing a shotgun at a man he said wanted to date his daughter. It drew criticism from media outlets and commentators.^[47]

In response to the criticism of the ad, Kemp spokesman said, "Brian Kemp is a conservative. Get over it. He loves his daughters, values our 2nd Amendment rights, and will be an unapologetic fighter for our families as Georgia’s next governor."^[48]

Hill's ad (see it here) highlighted his support for constitutional carry and showed him at a firing range.

Following the release of the ad, the organization GeorgiaCarry came out against Hill, saying it did not accurately represent his positions on gun policy while serving in the state Senate. The organization highlighted Hill's opposition to legislation that expanded the areas that guns could be carried and public statements where he seemed to say that only individuals 21 and older should be allowed to purchase rifles. Hill said he misspoke and his statement meant that he wanted the age for purchasing handheld firearms to be lowered to 18.^[49]

Clay Tippins and Michael Williams both criticized Hill for his positions on guns, saying he only recently adopted them for electoral purposes.^[50][51]

Tippins ran a campaign ad that depicted Hill as Benedict Arnold, an American in the Revolutionary War who defected to the British. The ad said Hill had betrayed voters on gun policy.^[19]

Williams criticized Hill for his positions on gun policy, saying his "position on gun control is all over the place. One day Hunter claims to support Constitutional Carry and the next day he echoes Democrat Stacey Abrams’ call for gun control. His fake conservative campaign is becoming more obvious each day."^[50]

Constitutional carry[edit]

A constitutional carry weapons policy--which would allow gun owners to carry concealed firearms without a permit--was the main source of disagreement between the candidates.

• Casey Cagle said he opposed constitutional carry on April 23. He told 11 Alive News, "Georgia is in a very good position where our gun laws stand today” and did not need to expand its carry policies.^[52]

On April 28, Cagle's campaign released a statement that said he supported constitutional carry, but that the state needed a process for preventing felons and mentally ill persons from carrying weapons and an optional permit for Georigians traveling to other states.^[53]

• Hunter Hill supported constitutional carry and said the age for purchasing handguns should be lowered from 21 to 18.^[54]

• Brian Kemp did not say whether he supported constitutional carry according to the organization Georgia Gun Owners.^[55]

• Clay Tippins did not say whether he supported constitutional carry.^[51]

• Michael Williams supported constitutional carry.^[56]

Medical marijuana expansion[edit]

Clay Tippins and Michael Williams both criticized Casey Cagle for what they said was his opposition to the expansion of medical marijuana in the state. Their criticisms came after Cagle said he supported a study committee to look into how patients could safely access medical marijuana. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said that this indicated Cagle would not allow the state Senate to act on HB 764, which expanded the medical conditions for cannabis oil access to post-traumatic stress disorder and intractable pain.^[57]

Tippins and Williams appeared at a press conference on March 19, where Tippins said that Cagle had effectively killed HB 764. Williams, a supporter of in-state cultivation of medical marijuana, said that Cagle was "kicking the can down the road."

In a statement, Cagle said he had supported expanded access in the past and wanted to work with medical experts on making cannabis oil more readily available. He said, “Going forward, I’m committed to supporting responsible legislation that ensures Georgians who can benefit from this medication have safe, secure, and reliable access.”^[57]

Religious Freedom Restoration Act[edit]

All candidates except for Clay Tippins pledged to sign a state-level version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) into law. Opponents have claimed that a state-level RFRA could be used to discriminate against LGBTQ individuals. A state-level RFRA was passed by General Assembly in 2016 and vetoed by Gov. Deal, who cited potential effects on the state's business climate when rejecting the measure.^[58]

Tippins said he would not commit to signing a state-level RFRA without knowing the specifics of the proposal. He said, "I strongly support religious freedom but I won’t take the RFRA pledge. From what I can tell the two aren’t even related...I will not sign any pledge regarding future undrafted legislation – including the RFRA pledge – but promise to veto any bill that enables lawsuits against people of faith."^[59]

State income tax[edit]

As of March 2018, Georgia derived revenue through a tax on personal income. The candidates running for governor held differing opinions on whether Georgia should continue to tax incomes or eliminate the tax, as surrounding states like Florida and Tennessee had done, and levy taxes on consumption instead.

• Casey Cagle: After the Georgia General Assembly passed an income tax rate reduction in March 2018, Cagle said he would continue to cut personal income tax rates as governor. He did not call for abolishing the state's income tax.^[60]

• Hunter Hill: Hill said he supported abolishing the state income tax. His website says, "Eliminating the state income tax will drive our economy to create more jobs, attract more businesses, and leave more money in families’ pockets. Politicians in Georgia have been talking about doing this for 15 years! We will get it done."^[61]

• Brian Kemp: Kemp advocated for a spending cap on the state budget tied to inflation and population increases to control income tax rates. He said he would not abolish the state income tax and that, “I mean it’s a hard thing to do, taking a $12 billion item and cutting it down to zero.”^[62]

• Clay Tippins: Tippins said that eliminating the state income tax was not feasible but that it could be decreased to less than four percent.^[63]

• Michael Williams: Williams' campaign website says he supporting abolishing the state income tax and replacing it with a sales tax.^[64]

Campaign ads[edit]

Casey Cagle[edit]

The following campaign ads in support of Cagle were put out by the group Citizens for Georgia's Future:

"21st Century," released February 20, 2018

"Stop," released February 20, 2018

On March 21, Cagle's official campaign launched a $4.4 million TV ad buy by airing the campaign ad below.^[65]

"Cagle first TV ad," released March 21, 2018

The Cagle campaign launched its next ad in the $4.4 million buy on April 4. "Difference" was set to be played in the Albany, Atlanta, Augusta, Chattanooga, Columbus, Jacksonville, Macon, Savannah, and Tallahassee media markets.^[66] Watch the ad here.

Cagle released his campaign ad, "History," on April 13. Watch the ad here.

Cagle released his ads "Hand" and "Safe" on April 23.

Cagle released a television ad highlighting his opposition to sanctuary jurisdictions and unauthorized immigration on May 1.

Cagle released another television ad on May 15.

Hunter Hill[edit]

"Ready to Lead Again," released March 12, 2018

"Ready to Serve Again," released February 5, 2018

Brian Kemp[edit]

"So Conservative," released May 9, 2018

Kemp put $1 million behind his "Jake" ad, which drew criticism from media commentators. In response, Kemp said he would keep running the ad because "it’s driving the liberal media crazy" and "people love the ad. They know it’s funny."^[67]

"Jake," released April 27, 2018

"Track and Deport," released March 5, 2018

Clay Tippins[edit]

Tippins released "Air" on May 1.

"Air," released May 1, 2018

Tippins began running "Bang" in April 2018 as part of a $500,000 buy.^[19]

"Bang," released April 19, 2018

Tippins first aired "Georgia Clay" during the 2018 Super Bowl.^[68]

"Georgia Clay," released February 3, 2018

Campaign themes and policy stances[edit]

Casey Cagle[edit]

Cagle's campaign website stated the following:

Hunter Hill[edit]

Hill's campaign website stated the following:

Brian Kemp[edit]

Kemp's campaign website stated the following:

Clay Tippins[edit]

Tippins' campaign website stated the following:

Michael Williams[edit]

Williams' campaign website stated the following:

Media coverage[edit]

Some of the race's media coverage focused on whether Casey Cagle would win the primary on May 22 or go to a runoff on July 24.

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution (March 21, 2018): "Public and private polling, in some cases surveys released by other campaigns, show Cagle hovering in the mid-30s to low 40s — and a tight race among the four other leading contenders for the second-place spot. But Cagle’s campaign could also angle for the knockout blow, unloading most of the nearly $7 million in his campaign coffers to aim for the majority vote he needs to avoid a runoff. An internal poll released by Hill showed Cagle within striking distance — at 48 percent — when factoring in undecided voters. Analysts and GOP operatives say that prospect is a long shot, particularly given that his top rivals each have seven-figure campaign bank accounts and spent months building support for their bids. But they also point to the unpredictable nature of runoffs.

They need look no further than Deal’s 2010 race. He finished a distant second to Karen Handel in a crowded Republican primary, but he narrowly edged her in the head-to-head runoff weeks later. 'Can (Cagle) do it? Possible, but not likely,' Kennesaw State University political scientist Kerwin Swint said. 'It’ll no doubt be a tall order with five major candidates in the field, all of whom have raised at least enough money to make a dent. But even if they go to a runoff, that investment in resources and grass roots could pay off at the end.'”

The barrage of attention Cagle received from his Delta stance and his escalating ad campaign may not have a lasting impact. Asked about the prospect of an outright win, veteran GOP strategist Jackie Gingrich Cushman ticked off the strengths of several of Cagle’s opponents. 'Remember that neither national media attention nor money necessarily translate into votes,' said Cushman, a GOP operative who invoked two recent Republican victories. 'If money was all that counted, we would have Jon Ossoff as a congressman and Hillary Clinton as president.'

The lieutenant governor was sanguine about his chances. 'We have a very carefully laid strategic plan and we are in activation mode. I look forward to carrying our message across the state and earning every vote I can,' he said. 'Mathematically, it’s very challenging, but when you are in position to press your advantage, it’s encouraging.'"^[75]

Past elections[edit]

2014[edit]

See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2014

Nathan Deal ran for re-election as governor of Georgia in the 2014 elections. Deal defeated David Pennington and John Barge in the 2014 Republican primary by a 55.4 percent margin.^[76]

Governor of Georgia, Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Nathan Deal Incumbent	72.1%	430,170
David Pennington	16.7%	99,548
John Barge	11.2%	66,500
Total Votes		596,218
Election results via Georgia Secretary of State Election Results.

2010[edit]

See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2010 and Gubernatorial elections, 2010

In the July 20 primary Deal came in second to Karen Handel, receiving 22.9 percent of the vote to her 34.1 percent. The two met in a runoff election held August 10, with Deal winning 50.2 percent to 49.8 percent.

Deal defeated Democrat Roy E. Barnes and Libertarian John H. Monds in the general election on November 2, 2010.^[77]

• General election^[78]

Governor of Georgia, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Roy E. Barnes	43%	1,107,011
	Republican	Nathan Deal	53%	1,365,832
	Libertarian	John H. Monds	4%	103,194
	NA	Write-in	0%	124
Total Votes				2,576,161

Race background[edit]

Heading into the election, the sitting governor was Nathan Deal (R), who was first elected in 2010 and 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.

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.

Voter information[edit]

How the primary works[edit]

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Georgia utilizes an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.^{[79][80][81][82]}

Poll times[edit]

In Georgia, polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.^[83]

Registration requirements[edit]

To vote in Georgia, one must be a citizen of the United States and a legal resident of his or her county. The voter must be at least 17.5 years of age at the time of registration and 18 at the time of the election.^[84]

Registration must be completed at least 28 days prior to the election. Registration can be completed online or by submitting a paper form.^[84]

Automatic registration[edit]

In Georgia, eligible voters are automatically registered to vote when they conduct transactions at the Department of Driver Services. This automatic registration program began in 2016.^[85][86]

Online registration[edit]

See also: Online voter registration

Georgia has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration[edit]

Georgia does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements[edit]

To register to vote in Georgia, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship[edit]

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

A Georgia state law, passed in 2009, required voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. However, as of March 2019, the law had not been implemented.^[87][88][89]

In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot require proof of citizenship with federal registration forms. That meant states would need to create a separate registration system for state elections in order to require proof of citizenship.^[89]

Verifying your registration[edit]

The site My Voter Page, run by the Georgia Secretary of State's office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements[edit]

Georgia requires voters to present photo identification while voting.^[90]

The following list of accepted ID was current as of April 2021. Click here for the Georgia Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

“

Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free ID Card issued by your county registrar's office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) A Georgia Driver's License, even if expired Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state Valid U.S. passport ID Valid U.S. military photo ID Valid tribal photo ID[90][69]

”

Voters can obtain a free voter ID card from any county registrar's office or DDS office. The voter must provide the following in order to receive the card:^[90]

“

A photo identity document or approved non-photo identity document that includes full legal name and date of birth Documentation showing the voter's date of birth Evidence that the applicant is a registered voter Documentation showing the applicant's name and residential address[90][69]

”

A voter is not required to provide identification when voting absentee by mail.^[90]

Background[edit]

As of April 2021, 35 states enforced (or were scheduled to begin enforcing) voter identification requirements. A total of 21 states required voters to present photo identification at the polls; the remainder accepted other forms of identification. Valid forms of identification differ by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.^[91][92]

Early voting[edit]

Georgia permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

As of April 2021, 38 states and the District of Columbia permitted early voting. Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on election day. States that do not permit early voting still permit some or all citizens to vote early by mail—often known as absentee voting. Some states allow no-excuse absentee voting, while others require an excuse. States that allow in-person absentee voting without an excuse are counted among early voting states. Click here for early voting laws by state.^[93]

Absentee voting[edit]

All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Georgia. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee. The ballot application deadline is 11 days before Election Day. A completed ballot must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.^[94][95]

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).^[96][97]

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
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.^[98][99]

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]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Georgia governor Republican primary 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

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 State of the state addresses Trifecta control of state government

External links[edit]

• Governor of Georgia official website

Footnotes[edit]

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