Georgia voters head to the polls on Monday, May 19, for a primary election that will shape half a dozen of the most closely watched races in the 2026 midterms. With Gov. Brian Kemp term-limited and the Senate seat held by Democrat Jon Ossoff on the ballot, both parties are facing crowded and competitive primaries. More than 550,000 Georgians have already voted early — a record for a primary election in the state.
U.S. Senate: Ossoff vs. the GOP Field
Sen. Jon Ossoff enters the general election cycle polling just under 50% against all potential Republican opponents. An Emerson College poll from late February found him leading Rep. Buddy Carter 47-44, Rep. Mike Collins 48-43, and Derek Dooley 49-41.
The Republican primary is a three-way contest. Rep. Mike Collins leads with 30% support, followed by Rep. Buddy Carter at 16% and former football coach Derek Dooley at 10%. Dooley has Kemp’s endorsement but has struggled to gain traction with the base. Forty percent of GOP primary voters remain undecided, making a runoff on June 16 highly likely.
Ossoff’s strength is built on a formidable financial advantage — he had $25 million cash on hand at year-end 2025 — and a political environment that favors incumbents in blue-trending states. Trump’s approval is 9 points underwater in Georgia (42% approve, 51% disapprove). But Georgia remains a genuine swing state: Trump won it by 2 points in 2024 after losing it in 2020.
Governor: Wide Open on Both Sides
The Republican gubernatorial primary is essentially a three-way tie at the top. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones leads with 21%, but businessman Rick Jackson — whose late entry has reshaped the race — is at 20%. Former Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who became a national figure by resisting Trump’s pressure to “find” votes in 2020, sits at 11%. Thirty-eight percent of GOP voters are undecided.
On the Democratic side, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms leads with 35%, followed by former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (who switched parties) at 13%. Duncan’s candidacy is notable: he served as Republican lieutenant governor and broke with Trump over the 2020 election before becoming a Democrat. His crossover appeal could be significant in a general election, but he first needs to win a primary where 39% of Democratic voters are undecided.
Democrats haven’t won the Georgia governor’s office since 1998. But the party is hoping to capitalize on momentum from the 2025 Public Service Commission elections, where Democrats swept statewide races, and a national environment that heavily favors the opposition party.
House Races: 14 Districts, Post-Callais Uncertainty
All 14 of Georgia’s congressional districts are on the ballot. Several are competitive: GA-06 (Dem-held), GA-07 (Rich McCormick retiring to run for Senate, now open), and the ever-competitive GA districts in the Atlanta suburbs. Redistricting challenges are pending in lower courts under the post-Callais framework, which could reshape Georgia’s map before November, though nothing has been enacted yet.
What to Watch Monday Night
The key question is whether any major race is decided outright or heads to a June 16 runoff. Georgia requires candidates to clear 50% to avoid a runoff — and with fragmented fields in both the Senate and governor races, runoffs are likely on both sides.
Turnout data from early voting shows Democrats slightly outpacing Republicans, with more than 50,000 more Democratic ballots cast. If that pattern holds through Election Day, it would signal genuine Democratic enthusiasm in a state that has been ground zero for American politics for the past six years.