Brian Kemp

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams in their 2022 rematch, preserving GOP control of Georgia's governorship and dealing a second statewide loss to the national Democratic figure. Kemp campaigned on tax cuts and cash rebates funded by state and federal surpluses, his handling of the economy, an early end to COVID-19 restrictions, and attacks on Abrams over policing, after surviving a primary challenge backed by Donald Trump following disputes over the 2020 election.

Abrams, who would have been the first Black woman elected governor in U.S. history, campaigned on expanding Medicaid, raising teacher pay, legalizing gambling to fund college aid, tightening gun laws, and restoring abortion rights after the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade. She outraised Kemp but trailed in polls throughout the race. Exit surveys showed the economy, inflation, and crime as top voter concerns, favoring Kemp, while abortion rights drove support for Abrams and Senator Raphael Warnock. Abrams vowed to continue advocating for voting rights and other priorities despite the loss.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced that the state printed 5 million copies of a new "I Voted" sticker design for the general election, created by Atlanta artist Jon Penley. The sticker will be distributed to all 159 counties, though officials say counties can choose whether to hand out the new design, the traditional peach sticker, or both.

Raffensperger's office said Penley created the design as a favor, without payment, and the artist has a personal relationship with the secretary, who is leaving office next January. Penley is known for strongly conservative political views and has hosted campaign events for Gov. Brian Kemp and former Senate candidate Herschel Walker at his studio. He has also depicted Donald Trump in his artwork, including a piece commemorating the 2024 assassination attempt.

Supporters note Penley's broader body of work includes portraits of Democratic figures like John F. Kennedy and Michelle Obama, the latter held in the Barack Obama Presidential Library's collection. The design choice has nonetheless drawn criticism over the artist's political associations ahead of the election.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has endorsed Rep. Mike Collins in the race to unseat Sen. Jon Ossoff, backing the Republican congressman he had opposed during the primary. Kemp praised Collins as a "commonsense leader" who has "delivered results as a businessman," while criticizing Ossoff's record as out of step with Georgia values. Collins, who owns a trucking company and represents Georgia's 10th congressional district, is also backed by President Trump and thanked Kemp for joining the effort to "take back Georgia's Senate seat."

Kemp had initially supported Derek Dooley, a first-time candidate, in the GOP primary, which Collins won decisively. The Ossoff campaign dismissed the endorsement's significance, pointing to Kemp's earlier opposition to Collins and leveling sharp criticism at the congressman.

The contest is considered one of the most competitive Senate races of the cycle and could help determine which party controls the chamber for the remainder of Trump's term. Polling currently shows Ossoff with a lead, though the race is widely rated a toss-up.

Election security has emerged as a flashpoint in Georgia's governor's race, with Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms calling for vote totals precise enough to eliminate any doubt about turnout, referencing the narrow 2020 margin that put the state under national scrutiny. Republican candidate Rick Jackson drew criticism after audio surfaced suggesting Gov. Brian Kemp would deploy the National Guard to monitor the election; Kemp's office pushed back, saying its approach to elections remains unchanged. Bottoms accused Jackson of echoing Trump-aligned election claims and pointed to the FBI's raid of the Fulton County elections office and a Justice Department subpoena for poll worker information as part of an ongoing federal investigation into the 2020 election.

Separately, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Trump administration order letting the Department of Homeland Security compile voter eligibility lists for the U.S. Postal Service to check before mailing ballots. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has convened a bipartisan task force to combat election misinformation, while state lawmakers continue debating a new hand-marked ballot system.

South Carolina Republicans returned to the polls Tuesday to pick a nominee for the Senate seat long held by the late Lindsey Graham, who died in July after winning renomination in June. Sen. Darline Graham, appointed to fill her brother's term and backed by President Trump and Sen. Tim Scott, faced Rep. Ralph Norman in a runoff after neither cleared a majority in the Aug. 11 primary; third-place finisher Rep. Russell Fry endorsed Graham. The winner faces Democrat Annie Andrews in the fall.

In Georgia's 13th Congressional District near Atlanta, Democrats Everton Blair and Marcye Scott, daughter of late Rep. David Scott, competed in a runoff to serve the remainder of Scott's term after topping a five-candidate field in July. Neither is seeking the full term beginning in 2027; that contest will pit Democratic state Rep. Jasmine Clark against Republican Jonathan Chavez in November. Both races drew attention as tests of turnout and party strength ahead of the 2026 midterms, now 70 days off.