2026 Georgia gubernatorial election
The 2026 Georgia gubernatorial election will take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Georgia, with primary elections to be held on May 19, 2026. Incumbent Republican governor Brian Kemp is term-limited and cannot seek a third consecutive term.
Background
Georgia is considered a swing state at the federal level, but the state has maintained a Republican lean at the state level, with Republicans holding all state-wide seats in the 2022 midterms, where incumbent governor Brian Kemp was re-elected in a rematch against Democrat Stacey Abrams by a 7.5 percent margin. Republicans also control both the state senate and house of representatives, together with Kemp's governorship establishing a government trifecta, alongside complete Republican pick on the state's supreme court. A year prior to the elections, the 2025 Georgia Public Service Commission special election resulted in two Democrats being elected to the Commission. This was the first time that Democrats won any seats on the PSC since the 2000 elections or any statewide non-federal offices since the 2006 elections.Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Chris Carr, attorney general of Georgia
- Clark Dean, real estate executive
- Burt Jones, lieutenant governor of Georgia
- Brad Raffensperger, Georgia Secretary of State
- Ken Yasger, member of the Georgia Army National Guard
Declined
Fundraising
- ''Campaign account for previous office.''
Polling
Aggregate polls| Source of poll aggregation | Dates administered | Dates updated | Chris Carr | Clark Dean | Burt Jones | Brad Raffensperger | Other/Undecided | Margin |
| RealClearPolitics | October 13-December 19, 2025 | December 22, 2025 | 10.5% | 3.0% | 28.0% | 14.5% | 44.5% | Jones +13.5% |
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Brad Raffensperger | Burt Jones | Chris Carr | Clark Dean | Ken Yasger | Undecided |
| InsiderAdvantage | December 18–19, 2025 | 1,000 | ± 3.09% | 14% | 24% | 9% | 4% | – | 49% |
| University of Georgia School of Public and International Affairs | October 15–23, 2025 | 1,000 | ± 3.1% | 15% | 22% | 7% | 1% | – | 55% |
| Quantus Insights | October 13–14, 2025 | 900 | ± 3.2% | 15% | 32% | 12% | 2% | 1% | 38% |
| 20/20 Insight | September 25–28, 2023 | 245 | ± 6.3% | – | 18% | 9% | – | – | 73% |
;Marjorie Taylor Greene vs. Burt Jones vs. Brad Raffensperger vs. Chris Carr
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Marjorie Taylor Greene | Burt Jones | Brad Raffersperger | Chris Carr | Other/Undecided |
| yes. every kid. | July 22–23, 2025 | 608 | ± 3.97% | 22% | 18% | 13% | 11% | 36% |
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Olujimi Brown, church founder
- Geoff Duncan, former Republican Lieutenant Governor of Georgia
- Jason Esteves, former state senator from the 35th district
- Derrick Jackson, state representative and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2022
- Keisha Lance Bottoms, former director of the Office of Public Engagement and former mayor of Atlanta
- Ruwa Romman, state representative from the 97th district
- Mike Thurmond, former DeKalb County CEO, former Georgia Labor Commissioner, and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2010
Declined
- Stacey Abrams, former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives and nominee for governor in 2018 and 2022
- Jason Carter, former state senator from the 42nd district, grandson of former governor and president Jimmy Carter, and nominee for governor in 2014
- Lucy McBath, U.S. representative from
Polling
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Stacey Abrams | Other | Undecided |
| 20/20 Insight | September 25–28, 2023 | 247 | ± 6.2% | 52% | 34% | 14% |