Gubernatorial and Congressional Runoffs in Georgia Tuesday: Overview and Results
By 270toWin Staff
July 23, 2018
There are three runoff elections of note in Georgia Tuesday. Republicans will choose a nominee in the gubernatorial race, while Democrats will go to the polls to do the same in the state's 6th and 7th congressional districts.
Polls close at 7:00 PM. Results will begin to appear on this page shortly thereafter. Reload for the latest updates.
In the gubernatorial race, Republican Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle faces off against Brian Kemp, the Secretary of State. Cagle received more of the vote (39% to Kemp's 25%) in the May 22nd primary and also led in early runoff polling. However, two of the most recent polls have Kemp well ahead by 18 points, while a third has him up by 6%. Kemp was also endorsed by President Trump in a tweet last week.
The winner will meet Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams in the general election. Abrams is attempting to become the first black female governor in the nation's history. The most recent poll of the race, conducted by SurveyUSA, shows a surprisingly competitive race in a state that last elected a Democratic governor in 1999. Both Cagle and Kemp lead Abrams by 2 points, well within the margin of error. The consensus view of the general election is likely Republican, although that may change if Kemp wins the nomination; as Cagle is seen as the stronger general election candidate.
Turning to the House of Representatives, Democrats will choose a nominee in runoff elections in two Atlanta-area districts. Both GOP-held districts are the only two potentially competitive general election districts in the state, although the 7th is more of a reach for Democrats.
In the 6th district runoff, gun control advocate Lucy McBath squares off against businessman Kevin Abel. The winner will meet incumbent Republican Karen Handel in November. Handel will be seeking her first full term; she won a high-profile special election over Jon Ossoff in 2017.
Meanwhile, in the 7th district runoff, it is a college professor, Carolyn Bourdeaux up against businessman David Kim for the nomination. The winner will meet Republican Rep. Rob Woodall in November. This district is seen as a tougher 'get' for Democrats - Woodall is a four-term incumbent who won re-election by 21% in 2016. Trump won here by 7%, while his margin in the adjacent 6th district was under 2% over Hillary Clinton.
