Georgia voters will head to the polls in November to make their selection for the state’s next governor. Here, we break down the candidates to help you prepare for the May 22 primaries. You’ll also find interviews with each candidate as they happen on “Morning Edition with Denis O’Hayer.”
Stacey Abrams
If elected, Democrat Stacey Abrams would be the state’s first African-American female governor. Abrams is a lawyer and holds degrees from Spelman College, the LBJ School of Public Affairs and Yale Law School. She is also the founder of the New Georgia Project, a nonpartisan organization working to engage and register Georgia voters of color. Abrams served as the Georgia House of Representatives minority leader from 2011 to 2017, and she has recently been endorsed by U.S. Rep. John Lewis.
Among other issues, Abrams advocates for criminal justice reform, race and gender equality, economic opportunity for all Georgians, access to affordable high-quality child care and the decriminalization of poverty.
Campaign site: staceyabrams.com
Photo credit: Associated Press
Casey Cagle
Republican Casey Cagle is a businessman, former Georgia senator and current lieutenant governor – a post he’s held for the past 12 years. In 2007, Cagle created the College and Career Academy to provide students with the opportunity for job training in high-demand fields while still in high school.
Cagle is campaigning on platforms of tax and regulatory reform, anti-abortion policy, the reduction of government spending, job creation, infrastructure and education. He was also a supporter of religious freedom measures and is a Second Amendment advocate. Cagle recently blocked a substantial tax break for Delta Air Lines after the company ended a discount for National Rifle Association members.
Campaign site: caseycagle.com
Photo credit: Courtesy state of Georgia
Stacey Evans
Democrat Stacey Evans served seven years in the Georgia House of Representatives, from 2010 to 2017, where she protected HOPE scholarship funding and fought against religious freedom legislation and the discrimination of the LGBTQ community. She attended the University of Georgia, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics and political science and her law degree. Evans also served as the chair of the House Democratic Caucus.
Evans’ campaign platforms include equal pay, worker’s rights — including tax credits for working people, health care access for all Georgians, quality pre-K programs, tuition-free technical college programs, job creation and an increase in Georgia’s minimum wage.
Campaign site: staceyevans.com
Photo credit: Courtesy state of Georgia
Eddie Hayes
Republican Eddie Hayes is a restaurant owner who qualified for the gubernatorial race right before the March 9 deadline. There is currently little known about this late-entry candidate.
Hunter Hill
Republican Hunter Hill served as a Georgia state senator from 2012 to 2017. Before entering politics, Hill worked in commercial real estate. He attended West Point military academy and served tours of duty in both Afghanistan and Iraq as a U.S Army Ranger. Among other organizations, Hill is a member of the Disabled Veterans of America, the U.S. Army Ranger Association and the National Rifle Association.
Hill’s policy priorities include eliminating the state income tax, ending Environmental Protection Agency regulations for agriculture and investing in transportation. He’s also a proponent of school choice, and his campaign focuses on a reduction in government spending, ending sanctuary cities in Georgia, creating opportunities for veterans and free-market health care.
Campaign site: votehunterhill.com
Photo credit: Courtesy state of Georgia
Brian Kemp
Republican Brian Kemp served as the Georgia secretary of state from 2010 until recently, when he resigned to run for governor. He served in the Georgia Senate from 2003 to 2007. Kemp earned his bachelor of science degree in agriculture from the University of Georgia and owns Kemp Properties, a property management and contracting company.
His campaign emphasizes support for agri-business, cutting regulations, the recruitment of big business and manufacturing into the state, investment in technology in rural areas and the elimination of tax incentives.
He’s also campaigning on a “Georgia First” platform that would work to defund sanctuary cities.
Campaign site: kempforgovernor.com
Photo credit: Courtesy state of Georgia
Ted Metz
Libertarian Ted Metz grew up in a U.S. Air Force family and was active in the Boy Scouts of America. He attended the University of Georgia, served two years in the U.S. Navy and, according to his website, worked as a research scientist for a consumer products corporation. He’s also worked in finance and insurance.
In 2014, Metz ran as a Libertarian in the election for Georgia insurance and safety fire commissioner.
Because he is a Libertarian candidate, Metz will bypass the primary in May.
Campaign site: tedmetz.com
Clay Tippins
Republican Clay Tippins holds a bachelor of science degree in political science from Stanford University and served as a U.S. Navy SEAL on Navy SEAL Team One before working for tech companies in Silicon Valley. He also was vice president for international business consulting firm Capgemini and served with the Navy SEAL Reserves, deploying to Iraq in 2015.
Tippins is also a national trustee of the southeastern division of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
Tippins is campaigning for governor on platforms of a reduction in state spending, defunding of sanctuary cities, combating sex trafficking in the state, anti-abortion policy and educational literacy programs. He is also a Second Amendment advocate.
Campaign site: claytippins.com
Photo: Courtesy Clay Tippins campaign
Marc Urbach
Republican Marc Urbach was a photojournalist before working as a history teacher for Gwinnett County schools from 2001 to 2012. He holds a bachelor of science degree in communications from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in education from Georgia State.
Some of Urbach’s campaign platforms include school choice, ending illegal immigration, religious freedom, his “business-student income tax credit,” the creation of new transportation systems and replacing the Affordable Care Act.
Campaign site: marcurbach.com
Photo: Courtesy Marc Urbach campaign
Michael Williams
Businessman and state Sen. Michael Williams describes himself as a “pro-Trump Conservative Republican.” He attended college at the University of Montevallo in Alabama before working as a certified personal accountant. He was also a previous owner in the Sports Clips franchise.
Williams served as the co-chair for Georgia’s Donald Trump for President campaign and has represented Georgia’s 27th District in the state Senate since 2015.
Williams’ campaign platforms include abolishing sanctuary cities, abolishing the state income tax and replacing it with a sales tax, increasing salaries for law enforcement, the preservation of Confederate monuments and increasing the availability of medical marijuana.
Campaign site: williamsgeorgia.com
Photo credit: Courtesy state of Georgia
