Here’s the latest on who is running — or widely reported as running — for governor of Georgia in 2026, as of early 2026.

Quick Scoop: 2026 Georgia Governor’s Race

  • The election will be held on November 3, 2026, with primaries currently scheduled for May 19, 2026.
  • Incumbent Governor Brian Kemp is term-limited and cannot run again.

Georgia is expected to be a closely watched battleground in 2026, with competitive primaries in both major parties.

Republican Candidates (2026 Georgia Governor)

Major Republican figures reported as declared candidates include:

  • Chris Carr – Georgia Attorney General (in office since 2016).
  • Burt Jones – Lieutenant Governor of Georgia (in office since 2023); he launched his campaign in 2025 and has emphasized his ties to President Donald Trump and eliminating the state income tax.
  • Brad Raffensperger – Georgia Secretary of State (in office since 2019).
  • Clark Dean – Real estate executive.
  • Rick Jackson – Healthcare executive.
  • Ken Yasger – Member of the Georgia Army National Guard.

Some notable Republicans who were frequently mentioned but reportedly declined to run include:

  • Marjorie Taylor Greene – U.S. Representative (chose not to enter the governor’s race).
  • Andrew Clyde – U.S. Representative, running for re‑election instead.

Polling as of February 2026 suggests a competitive GOP primary, with Burt Jones and Rick Jackson often near the top of the field, and Chris Carr and Brad Raffensperger also drawing support, while a large share of voters remain undecided.

Democratic Side

Reporting indicates several Democrats have either announced or are openly discussed as contenders, with coverage noting that the race is expected to be competitive; one widely mentioned Democrat is Christian “Chris” Esteves, identified in state political news as entering the 2026 governor’s race.

Detailed Democratic primary fields may still be in flux, and not all names are consistently listed across public sources as of early 2026.

Because candidate filing deadlines and primary campaigns are still underway, the Democratic field is less clearly defined publicly than the Republican field in many of the most‑cited overviews.

Snapshot of the Race So Far

Here’s a compact view of the leading publicly reported names for 2026:

Party Candidate Current / Notable Role Status (as reported)
Republican Chris Carr Georgia Attorney General Declared candidate
Republican Burt Jones Lieutenant Governor Declared candidate
Republican Brad Raffensperger Secretary of State Declared candidate
Republican Clark Dean Real estate executive Declared candidate
Republican Rick Jackson Healthcare executive Declared candidate
Republican Ken Yasger Army National Guard member Declared candidate
Democrat Chris Esteves (and others) Democratic candidate/activist Reported entrant; broader field still forming
[7][1][5][8][3]

Forum / “Trending Topic” Angle

In Georgia political discussion spaces and local forums, a few recurring themes show up when people talk about “who is running for governor of Georgia in 2026”:

  • Speculation over whether the GOP nominee will be more Trump‑aligned (e.g., Burt Jones) or more traditionally conservative (e.g., Chris Carr or Brad Raffensperger).
  • Questions about whether Democrats can repeat their statewide successes from 2020–2021 at the federal level and translate that into a win for governor in 2026.
  • Heavy focus on issues like election administration, economic development, and taxes, given the prominence of Raffensperger and Jones in the field.

A typical forum comment thread right now mixes hard polling numbers with very local chatter about which candidate “plays” better in metro Atlanta versus rural counties, reflecting how finely balanced Georgia has become.

Keep in Mind

  • Candidate lists can still change: people can drop out, switch races, or jump in late before filing deadlines.
  • For the most precise, up‑to‑the‑minute list of who is officially running, it’s best to cross‑check the Georgia Secretary of State’s candidate listings and recent state political news closer to the primary date.

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Who is running for governor of Georgia in 2026? An up‑to‑date look at the 2026 Georgia governor’s race, including Republican and Democratic candidates, latest news, and how forums and polls see this trending topic.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.