2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia
Elections were held on November 2, 2010, to determine Georgia's 13 members of the United States House of Representatives. Representatives were elected for two-year terms to serve in the 112th United States Congress from January 3, 2011, until January 3, 2013. Primary elections were held on July 20, 2010, and primary runoff elections were held on August 10, 2010.
Of the 13 elections, the races in the 2nd and 8th districts were rated as competitive by CQ Politics, The Rothenberg Political Report, and Sabato's Crystal Ball, and the 2nd, 8th and 12th districts were rated as competitive by The Cook Political Report. Of Georgia's thirteen incumbents, eleven were re-elected, while one did not seek re-election and one unsuccessfully sought re-election.
In total, eight Republicans and five Democrats were elected. A total of 2,468,680 votes were cast, of which 1,528,142 were for Republican candidates, 940,347 were for Democratic candidates and 191 were for write-in candidates.
Overview
By district
Results of the 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia by district:District 1
The 1st district included Hinesville and parts of Savannah and Valdosta. The district's population was 68 percent white, 24 percent black and 5 percent Hispanic ; 82 percent were high school graduates and 19 percent had received a bachelor's degree or higher. Its median income was $43,481. In the 2008 presidential election the district gave 62 percent of its vote to Republican nominee John McCain and 37 percent to Democratic nominee Barack Obama.Republican Jack Kingston, who took office in 1993, was the incumbent. Kingston was re-elected in 2008 with 67 percent of the vote. In 2010 Kingston's opponent in the general election was Democratic nominee Oscar Harris II, a farmer. Both Kingston and Harris were unopposed in their respective primaries.
Kingston raised $1,029,117 and spent $759,470. Prior to the election FiveThirtyEight's forecast gave Kingston a 100 chance of winning and projected that he would receive 71 percent of the vote to Harris's 27 percent. On election day Kingston was re-elected with 72 percent of the vote to Harris's 28 percent. Kingston was again re-elected in 2012 and unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate rather than seeking re-election in 2014. He was succeeded by fellow Republican Buddy Carter.
Predictions
General election results
District 2
The 2nd district included Albany, Columbus and Thomasville. The district's population was 47 percent black and 47 percent white ; 77 percent were high school graduates and 15 percent had received a bachelor's degree or higher. Its median income was $34,860. In the 2008 presidential election the district gave 54 percent of its vote to Democratic nominee Barack Obama and 45 percent to Republican nominee John McCain. In 2010 the district had a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+1.Democrat Sanford Bishop, who took office in 1993, was the incumbent. Bishop was re-elected in 2008 with 69 percent of the vote. In 2010 Bishop's opponent in the general election was Republican nominee Mike Keown, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives. Bishop was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Rick Allen, a medical supply businessman; and Lee Ferrell, a retired staff sergeant, also sought the Republican nomination.
Bishop raised $1,485,600 and spent $1,776,500. Keown raised $1,213,707 and spent $1,154,740. Allen raised $11,166 and spent $9,754. Ferrell raised $15,260 and spent $11,120.
An August 2010 poll by Public Opinion Strategies found Bishop leading with 50 percent to Keown's 44 percent. In a poll of 400 likely voters, conducted by POS on September 27 and 28, 2010, Bishop led with 47 percent to Keown's 46 percent while 7 percent were undecided. In a poll of 500 likely voters, conducted by Lester & Associates for Bishop's campaign between October 7 and 10, 2010, 50 percent supported Bishop while 40 percent favored Keown and 10 percent were undecided. A poll with a sample size of 836, conducted on October 19, 2010, by Landmark Communications, Inc., found Keown leading with 47 percent to Bishop's 45 percent while 8 percent were undecided. An LCI poll with a sample size of 914, conducted on October 27, 2010, found Keown had the support of 50 percent while 46 percent backed Bishop and 4 percent were undecided.
On election day Bishop was re-elected with 51 percent of the vote to Keown's 49 percent. Bishop was again re-elected in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020. Keown unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the Georgia State Senate in 2013. Allen was elected as the U.S. representative for the 12th district in 2014.
Republican primary results
Predictions
General election results
Campaign websites
District 3
Republican Lynn Westmoreland, who took office in 2005, was the incumbent. Westmoreland was re-elected in 2008 with 66 percent of the vote. In April 2009, Westmoreland's press secretary said the congressman was considering running for Governor of Georgia; however later that month he said he would instead seek re-election. In 2010 Westmoreland's opponent in the general election was Democratic nominee Frank Saunders, a schoolteacher. Jagdish Agrawal also ran as a write-in candidate. Westmoreland and Saunders were unopposed in their respective primaries.
Westmoreland raised $785,044 and spent $712,529. Saunders raised $44,112 and spent $43,282. Prior to the election FiveThirtyEight
Predictions
General election results
District 4
The 4th district included North Atlanta, Redan and Tucker. The district's population was 55 percent black, 24 percent white, 15 percent Hispanic and 5 percent Asian ; 84 percent were high school graduates and 30 percent had received a bachelor's degree or higher. Its median income was $50,222. In the 2008 presidential election the district gave 79 percent of its vote to Democratic nominee Barack Obama and 20 percent to Republican nominee John McCain.Democrat Hank Johnson, who took office in 2007, was the incumbent. Johnson was re-elected unopposed in 2008. In 2010 Johnson's opponent in the general election was Republican nominee Lisbeth Carter, a consultant. Vernon Jones, the former chief executive officer of DeKalb County; and Connie Stokes, a DeKalb County Commissioner, also sought the Democratic nomination. Lee May, also a DeKalb County Commissioner, announced in February 2010 that he would not run in the Democratic primary. In a poll of 400 likely Democratic primary voters, conducted by Lake Research Partners for Johnson's campaign between January 14 and 20, 2010, Johnson led with 47 percent to Jones's 19 percent while Stokes had the support of 12 percent, 5 percent favored May, and 15 percent were undecided. Victor Armendariz, a publishing salesman; Larry Gause, a retired officer in the U.S. Navy; and Cory Ruth, an information security manager, also sought the Republican nomination.
Johnson raised $581,545 and spent $589,780. Carter raised $118,102 and spent the same amount. Jones raised $73,225 and spent $74,405. Stokes raised $78,668 and spent $78,629. Gause raised $3,997 and spent $2,931. Ruth raised $12,626 and spent $12,398.
Prior to the election FiveThirtyEight's forecast gave Johnson a 100 percent chance of winning and projected that he would receive 74 percent of the vote to Carter's 23 percent. On election day Johnson was re-elected with 75 percent of the vote to Carter's 25 percent. Johnson was again re-elected in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018.
Democratic primary results
Republican primary results
Predictions
General election results
District 5
The 5th district included Atlanta and parts of East Point and Sandy Springs. The district's population was 50 percent black, 38 percent white and 8 percent Hispanic ; 85 percent were high school graduates and 43 percent had received a bachelor's degree or higher. Its median income was $50,072. In the 2008 presidential election the district gave 79 percent of its vote to Democratic nominee Barack Obama and 20 percent to Republican nominee John McCain.Democrat John Lewis was the incumbent. Lewis was re-elected unopposed in 2008. In 2010 Lewis's opponent in the general election was Fenn Little, a civil rights attorney and small business owner. Kelly Nguyen, a graphic artist, also sought the Republican nomination.
Lewis raised $1,013,992 and spent $1,115,868. Little raised $107,759 and spent $92,206. Nguyen raised $13,433 and spent $14,436.
Prior to the election FiveThirtyEight's forecast gave Lewis a 100 percent chance of winning and projected that he would receive 75 percent of the vote to Little's 22 percent. On election day Lewis was re-elected with 74 percent of the vote to Little's 26 percent. Lewis was again re-elected in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018.
Republican primary results
Predictions
General election results
District 6
The 6th district included Alpharetta, Dunwoody, Johns Creek, Roswell and part of Sandy Springs. The district's population was 74 percent white, 9 percent black, 9 percent Hispanic and 6 percent Asian ; 94 percent were high school graduates and 53 percent had received a bachelor's degree or higher. Its median income was $82,593. In the 2008 presidential election the district gave 63 percent of its vote to Republican nominee John McCain and 35 percent to Democratic nominee Barack Obama.Republican Tom Price, who took office in 2005, was the incumbent. Price was re-elected in 2008 with 69 percent of the vote. In 2010 Price was the only candidate on the ballot in the 6th district; however, write-in candidate Sean Greenberg, a bartender, also ran.
Price raised $2,070,230 and spent $1,218,835. Prior to the election FiveThirtyEight's forecast gave Price a 100 percent chance of winning. On election day Price was re-elected with 100 percent of the vote. Price was again re-elected in 2012, 2014 and 2016, and remained in office until February 2017, when he was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, a position from which he resigned in September 2017. He was succeeded by fellow Republican Karen Handel.