ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Democrats chose state Rep. Bee Nguyen as their nominee for secretary of state Tuesday in primary runoff elections. Nguyen defeated former state Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler in the primary and is set to challenge Republican incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in November's general election.
Meanwhile, Republicans had no statewide runoffs but were voting in four congressional races.
In the 10th Congressional District east of Atlanta, trucking company owner Mike Collins beat former Democrat Vernon Jones in a runoff to become the Republican nominee.
In the 6th District in Atlanta’s northern suburbs, emergency room physician Rich McCormick held off lawyer Jake Evans.
The secretary of state’s race was the most high-profile of four Democratic statewide runoffs, with nominees also being selected for lieutenant governor, labor commissioner and insurance commissioner.
In southwest Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District, Republicans have high hopes of knocking off 30-year Democratic incumbent Rep. Sanford Bishop. The GOP is choosing between former Army officer Jeremy Hunt and real estate developer Chris West in that race.
Democrats in the 10th District, which runs from suburban Atlanta through 18 counties, were having their own runoff Tuesday. Collins will face either Tabitha Johnson-Green or Jessica Fore in the district.
Democrats were also settling a runoff in the coastal 1st District, where Wade Herring is trying to keep Joyce Marie Griggs from again being the party’s nominee against incumbent Republican Buddy Carter.
The candidates facing off in the other statewide Democratic races are Charlie Bailey and Kwanza Hall for lieutenant governor, William Boddie and Nicole Horn for labor commissioner, and Janice Laws Robinson and Raphael Baker for insurance commissioner.
