Bailey switches from AG to LG race
The 2018 Attorney General nominee is switching to the Lieutenant Governor race after pressure from top Democrats
Democrat Charlie Bailey, who was initially mounting a second campaign for Attorney General, announced on Sunday that he will be switching to the race for Georgia’s second-highest office.
Bailey, the party’s 2018 nominee for Attorney General, will be switching to the open race for Lieutenant Governor after discussions with state party leaders
The former prosecutor said in an interview that party leaders told him that switching to the LG race gives him a better shot at winning. But he is not the only candidate in the race: State Reps. Erick Allen, Renitta Shannon and Derrick Jackson are all competing in the Democratic primary.
Bailey’s decision to switch races all but guarantees that State Sen. Jen Jordan, an Atlanta lawyer who gained national attention during abortion debates, will be the Democratic nominee for Attorney General.
In his 2018 race for Attorney General, Bailey challenged Republican incumbent Chris Carr, who had been appointed to the office and was seeking his first full term. Bailey came about 100,000 votes short, earning 48.7% of the vote — the second-highest vote share of any statewide Democratic candidate that year; second only to Stacey Abrams.
He is also entering the race with several prominent endorsements: U.S. Reps. Lucy McBath and Hank Johnson, former Gov. Roy Barnes, former Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor and State Rep. Al Williams. It’s a sign that Bailey is hoping to become the frontrunner in a race with no clear favorite.
But his endorsement list is also noteworthy for who is missing: Stacey Abrams, the party’s most recognizable leader. Her campaign manager says that she does not plan on taking sides in the contest.
State Sens. Burt Jones and Butch Miller are seeking the Republican nomination.