2026 Watch: Georgians set to pick third new LG in a row
Crowded field aims for Georgia's No. 2 post
For the third consecutive election cycle, Georgia voters will be heading to the polls to elect a new lieutenant governor.
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Republican who was elected in 2022, is widely expected to announce a run for governor soon, triggering a scramble for the state’s second-highest office. The post has served as a political springboard for some, while proving to be a dead end for others, setting up a high-stakes contest for ambitious candidates looking to remain in the political limelight for the next decade — or perhaps longer.
Jones succeeded Republican Geoff Duncan, who was chased out of his party after one term in office for refusing to echo Donald Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election. Duncan’s predecessor, Casey Cagle, gave up the gavel after more than a decade for an unsuccessful gubernatorial run.
The main job of the lieutenant governor is to preside over the state senate and assume the governor’s responsibilities should a vacancy arise, but senators themselves decide how much power the office has. The majority has been known to take powers away from lieutenant governors belonging to the opposite party.
A packed field is expected to seek the office next year, particularly on the Republican side. State Sen. Steve Gooch, the chamber’s majority leader, was the first candidate to join the race. The powerful Dahlonega Republican is branding himself as a “die-hard MAGA supporter” who will stand with President Trump to “continue fighting to restore the greatness of our country.”
“I’m running for lieutenant governor because Georgia deserves bold leadership that will stand up to the insanity of the Democrat Party, protect our families from the invasion of criminal illegal aliens and keep our economy vibrant and stong,” Gooch said in a statement, adding that Democrats want to “destroy all the things that have made our state a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family.”
Gooch isn’t the only Senate leader weighing a bid for the office: Appropriations committee chairman Blake Tillery, a Vidallia Republican who carries the state’s pocketbook, filed paperwork to begin raising money but has not declared his candidacy. State Sen. Greg Dolezal of Cumming, Senate President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy of Macon and Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper are likely candidates as well.
Only one name has emerged so far on the Democratic side: State Sen. Josh McLaurin kicked off his bid with a promise to stand up to the Trump administration’s tariff-tacking and job-slashing initiatives. He also said that unlike previous LGs, he is not entering the race with his mind on what might come next.
“I think there are some people who just want to run for lieutenant governor because it has the word ‘governor’ in the title,” the Sandy Springs attorney said as he announced his bid. “I want to be clear that is not my attitude at all about this job.”
This unusual game of political musical chairs in the senate could lead to an awkward dynamic in the 2026 session, when these same candidates will need to set aside the campaign bitterness and work together as colleagues for 40 days.
But that doesn’t mean the drama will dissipate. Maya Prabhu, who covers state government at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, reminds us that senators will use every opportunity to turn their floor actions into campaign theater — from filing dueling pieces of legislation to taking “subtle and not so subtle” shots at one another on the chamber floor.
Prabhu also adds that it’s possible that the field could expand, or winnow out, between now and next year. She says candidates could spend the rest of the year raising money and ultimately decide against a run, and that we could see some names emerge from other places besides the Senate.
“I’d be interested to see if everyone who has been considering it makes it to qualifying week,” she said.