Voters turned out to cast their ballots in the high-stakes primary election on Tuesday to decide who will represent them in the general election in November.
Although the election results listed here are unofficial that may not include all absentee or provisional ballots, it appears as though it was a night of the incumbents. Embattled Fulton County D.A. and Judge Scott McAfee won their races handily, as did Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat.
Democrats continued their march to the extreme Left with the nomination of Gabriel Sanchez to represent the people of House District 42, consisting of parts of Smyrna, Marietta, and Cobb Counties. Sanchez defeated incumbent Democrat Teri Anulewicz by a commanding 13 percentage points. Sanchez’s endorsements include the Democratic Socialists of America and Georgia Working Families Party.
With 95.60 percent of precincts completely reported as of press time, here are the highlights from key contests:
Republican U.S. House of Representatives – District 3:
Brian Jack – 32,779 votes, 46.70 percent
Mike Dugan – 17,484 votes, 24.91 percent
Mike Crane – 11,145 votes, 15.88 percent
Jim Bennett – 4,051 votes, 5.77 percent
Philip Singleton – 4,726 votes, 6.73 percent
Republican U.S. House of Representatives – District 11:
Barry Loudermilk (I) – 46,523 votes, 86.05 percent
Michael Pons – 4,911 votes, 9.08 percent
Lori Pesta – 2,630 votes, 4.86 percent
Republican U.S. House of Representatives – District 13:
Jonathan Chavez – 10,162 votes, 68.82 percent
Johsie Cruz – 4,604 votes, 31.18 percent
Republican State Senator – District 20:
Larry Walker (I) – 16,610 votes, 76.57 percent
Tori Branum – 5,082 votes, 23.43 percent
Republican State Senator – District 32:
Kay Kirkpatrick (I) – 9,357 votes, 77.36 percent
Ben Paul Fremer – 2,739 votes, 22.64 percent
Republican State Senator – District 53:
Colton Moore (I) – 15,681 votes, 70.44 percent
Angela Pence – 6,581 votes, 29.56 percent
Republican State House Representative – District 22:
Jordan Ridley (I) – 2,601 votes, 65.97 percent
Paul Kettering – 1,342 votes, 34.03 percent
Democrat Fulton County District Attorney:
Fani Willis (I) – 77,718 votes, 86.99 percent
Christian Wise Smith – 11,626 votes, 13.01 percent
5th Superior Court Judge:
Scott McAfee (I) – 59,990 votes, 83.03 percent
Robert Hillard Patillo II – 12,258 votes, 16.97 percent
Judge – Supreme Court:
Andrew Pinson (I) – 630,776 votes, 54.98 percent
John Barrow – 516,518 votes, 45.02 percent
Democrat Fulton County Sheriff:
Patrick “Pat” Labat (I) – 46,580 votes, 54.22 percent
Kirt Beasley – 9,965 votes, 11.60 percent
James “JT” Brown – 9,778 votes, 11.38 percent
Joyce Farmer – 19,586 votes, 22.80 percent
The primary election comes on the heels of the state’s struggles with election integrity post-2020 and its efforts to ensure voters that the elections in Georgia are free and fair.
There were reports of a temporary connection issue on the Secretary of State’s website, where voters could find sample ballots and get information about voting locations and voter registration.
Georgia Secretary of State Chief Operating Officer Gabriel Sterling stated on X that the “‘My Voter Page’ is working fine. We had a temporary capacity issue that has been addressed. You can go and check your credit for voting, your polling location, and your sample ballot.”
Early Tuesday, the Georgia GOP posted the phone number for an Election Integrity Hotline on the X platform for voters to report issues at the polls.
“Help address any potential issues at the polls by notifying a poll worker and report it by calling our Election Integrity Hotline or through our Protect the Vote Website. Election Integrity Hotline: (404) 738-8393”
With questions surrounding the 2020 election still unanswered, Governor Kemp signed new legislation into law in April that would strengthen the Election Integrity Act of 2021.
As previously reported, in early May, the Georgia State Election Board voted 2-1 to reprimand Fulton County for violating state law during the 2020 election and recount and proposed monitoring for the November election.
The 2024 Georgia general election is on November 5. The last day to register to vote is October 7.
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Debra McClure is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network. Follow Debra on X / Twitter.
