Republican U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson announced Thursday that he will not run for re-election in 2024, triggering a competitive primary for a seat that is expected to remain in GOP hands.
He says he plans to spend more time with his wife and family.
“Serving the wonderful constituents of Georgia’s Third District has been the honor of a lifetime,” Rep. Ferguson said in a statement. “Georgia is a truly special place, and it’s calling us home. Julie and I look forward to spending more time with our children and grandchildren while continuing to work to keep Georgia the best state in America to live and do business.”
Ferguson, who hails from a small west Georgia community called The Rock, was first elected to Congress in 2016 representing the 3rd district, which covers most of west and central Georgia. Before arriving in Washington, he was the mayor of West Point, Georgia and he owned a dental practice with his family.
Rep. Ferguson has aligned himself with his party’s mainstream wing in recent years. He was a close ally of deposed U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and had ascended to chief deputy whip in 2019 after just one term. He has also been mentioned as a candidate for statewide office.
But like many members of the “governing” wing, Ferguson has struggled to find a place in a conference that has been taken over by a small faction of hard-right members. After Republicans narrowly won control of the House, he sought a promotion to majority whip but came up short.
He has not been shy about his party’s ultra-conservative transformation. Following McCarthy’s ouster, he heavily supported majority leader Steve Scalise’s bid for the gavel. He then joined nearly two dozen Republicans in voting to tank Jim Jordan’s speakership bid after his office was bombarded with threats from Jordan supporters.
The three-week stalemate ended with Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson being elected speaker.
Ferguson’s retirement has already triggered a competitive primary for the 3rd district. Among the growing list of potential Republican candidates includes state senate majority leader Mike Dugan of Carrollton, state Sens. Matt Brass of Newnan and Randy Robertson of Cataula, and former state Rep. Tim Bearden. Attorney Chris West, who lost a race in a neighboring district last time around, might consider switching districts.
The 3rd district is largely rural and is considered solidly Republican, so the winner of the Republican primary will automatically punch their ticket to Capitol Hill.