Who’s running for office? Georgia candidates announce 2026 bids

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State Rep. Derrick Jackson, a Tyrone Democrat, has become the latest candidate to launch a bid for governor.

The 2026 elections are more than a year away, but campaign announcement season in Georgia is in full swing, as candidates seek to secure a position under the Peach State’s iconic Gold Dome. 

State Rep. Derrick Jackson, a Tyrone Democrat, has become the latest candidate to launch a bid for governor, unveiling a campaign Friday that highlighted his military service, business experience and focus on advocating for Georgia residents’ civil rights. 

“When I see something that’s not right, that’s not fair, that’s unjust, I have a moral obligation as an elected official,” he said in an interview with the Georgia Recorder, citing a conversation he had with the late civil rights icon and long-time Georgia Congressman John Lewis that inspired him to run for governor. “I realized we are in a political season right now where I need to do more.”

He said he hopes to implement policies that would benefit working families in Georgia, including a $20 minimum wage and eliminating state taxes for teachers, nurses, military veterans and senior citizens.

“A lot of citizens are looking at this American dream, and they see it fading away because of some of the laws and policies that we put in place in Georgia,” he said. “And so as governor, I would be in the pivotal place to stop some of these harmful pieces of legislation that are negatively impacting families in urban, suburban, rural and underserved areas in Georgia.”

Jackson, a General Electric marketing executive, began his first term in the state House in 2017, but emphasized his 42 years of leadership experience throughout his time in the U.S. Navy, the Legislature and in his private sector work. He joins fellow legislator Sen. Jason Esteves of Atlanta and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on the Democratic ballot.

On the Republican side, Attorney General Chris Carr is the only announced candidate, but with Gov. Brian Kemp term-limited from running again, there will likely be a long list of GOP primary candidates. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is widely expected to mount a run for governor.

This also isn’t Jackson’s first bid for higher office. In 2022 he ran for lieutenant governor, but finished sixth in the Democratic primary. He returned to the State Legislature in 2023 after winning a special election to replace Rep. Tish Naghise, a Fayetteville Democrat who died during her first term.

Most recently, he ran for House Minority Leader in 2024 but lost to Rep. Carolyn Hugley, a Columbus Democrat.

A crowded field

The gubernatorial race isn’t the only statewide contest that’s getting competitive. Among the candidates who launched campaigns this week are state Sen. Brian Strickland, a McDonough Republican who is entering the race for attorney general, and President Pro Tem John F. Kennedy, a Macon Republican hoping to become Georgia’s next lieutenant governor.

Democratic state Rep. Jasmine Clark of Lilburn also launched a bid for Congress this week, vying to unseat incumbent Rep. David Scott to represent Georgia’s 13th congressional district. 

Ahead of this year’s Aug. 26 special election, candidates are vying for a chance to replace outgoing state Sen. Brandon Beach, an Alpharetta Republican who President Donald Trump appointed to serve as U.S. Treasurer earlier this year. A total of seven candidates — six Republicans and one Democrat — are hoping to fill his shoes.

A familiar face resurfaces

Farooq Mughal, the former Democratic state representative from Dacula, is seeking reelection after losing his seat in one of Georgia’s narrowest state legislative races of the 2024 season. 

Mughal made history as the first Pakistani-American in the Legislature when he was elected in 2022. However, after the 2023 redistricting cycle drew more conservative voters into his district, he became the target of a governor-backed effort to flip some of the most competitive House districts red, losing to Republican challenger Sandy Donatucci in 2024 by only 80 votes.

Now, he’s hoping to return to the legislature with an agenda focused on supporting public schools, securing tax relief for families and addressing gun violence.

“It was the honor of my life to serve the people of District 105,” Mughal said in a statement announcing his candidacy. “I’m running to return to the State House because there’s still critical work to be done for Gwinnett families.”

This post was originally authored and published by Maya Homan from Georgia Recorder via RSS Feed. Join today to get your news feed on Nationwide Report®.