Sunday, March 8, 2026–4:30 p.m.
-Staff reports-
Katie Dempsey (left0 and Kristie Miner (right)
There will be a number of contests to decide for voters statewide following the end of qualifying on Friday.
For the Georgia House of Representatives in District 13, the incumbent Republican is facing a primary challenge from Kristi Minor. The winner of that race will go on to face Democrat incent Mendez in November.
Mendez contacted WRGA on Friday and issued the following statement:
Dr. Vincent Mendes, of Rome, Georgia, qualified today to run as the Democratic candidate for GA House Seat 13. A graduate of Berry College, Mendes has lived and worked in Rome for the past 14 years, with a focus on putting the needs of others first.
“As a healthcare worker, I see the needs of people on a daily basis, and as a small business owner, I understand the importance of local and state leadership to the economy of Rome and Floyd County.”
Mendes says he did not have plans to run for office:
Dr. Vincent Mendes
“My greatest joy is being the husband to the lovely Amy Mendes and the father to three daughters who have turned out to be wonderful human beings, and that was literally enough for me. But when I saw that there was not going to be a Democrat running to represent the 13th district, I felt that the people of Rome and Floyd County deserved a choice in their elections, and I stepped up to try to serve in a new capacity.”
Mendes stressed that his main focus at the moment is the current special election to replace the seat formerly held by Marjorie Taylor Greene for the U.S. House.
“Right now, the people need proper representation in Washington, and I strongly urge everyone to get out and vote for Shawn Harris in the March 10th election. After that, I humbly ask that you consider me and allow me to earn your vote to serve the people here in Rome and Floyd County.”
In District 12, incumbent Republican Eddie Lumsden has no challenger in the primary but will have opposition in the November General Election from Democrat Holly Chaney.
In District 5, incumbent Republican is being challenged by Democrat Rasmus Jensen in November.
For the Georgia State Senate in District 52, Incumbent Republican Chuck Hufstetler is guaranteed another term as no one from either party qualified to run against him.
For State Senate, District 53, Republicans Blake Elsberry, Denise Pierce Burns, and Lanny Thomas have all qualified. The primary winner will face Democrat John Zibluk in November.
For the Juvenile Court Judge, which is a non-partisan race, incumbent Steve Bennett was the only qualifier.
Other federal and statewide contests
U.S. House of Representatives, District 14
Shawn Harris (D)
Brian Stover (R)
Jim Tully (R)
Nicky Lama (R)
Tom Gray (R)
Colton Moore (R)
Eric Brad Cunningham (R)
Reagan Christine Box (R)
Star Black (R)
Beau Brown (R)
United States Senate
Jon Ossoff (I) (D)
Derek Dooley (R)
Buddy Carter (R)
Mike Collins (R)
John Frances Coyne III (R)
Jonathan McCollum (R)
Governor
Derrick Jackson (D)
Geoff Duncan (D)
Jason Esteves (D)
Keisha Lance Bottoms (D)
Amana Duffey (D)
Mike Thurmond (D)
Olu Brown (D)
Chris Carr (R)
Brad Raffensperger (R)
Burt Jones (R)
Clark Dean (R)
Gregg Kirkpatrick (R)
Ken Yasger (R)
Rick Jackson (R)
Thomas E Williams (R)
Lt. Governor
Josh McLaurin (D)
Richard Wright (D)
Nabilah Parkes (D)
Greg Dolezal (R)
Brenda Lynn Nelson-Porter (R)
John Flanders Kennedy (R)
Michael Blake Tillery (R)
Attorney General
Bob Trammell (D)
Tanya Miller (D)
Herbert Adams Jr. (D)
Robert Brian Strickland (R)
William Stone Cowsert (R)
Secretary of State
Adrian Consonery Jr. (D)
Cam Thi Ashling (D)
Dana Barrett (D)
Penny Brown Reynolds (D)
Kelvin King (R)
Gabe Sterling (R)
Timothy Kyle Fleming (R)
Vernon Jones (R)
Edward Metz (R)
State School Superintendent
Anton Anthony (D)
Lydia Catalina Powell (D)
Otha Thornton (D)
Fred Jackson Longgrear (R)
Mesha Mainor (R)
Nelva Melissa Lee (R)
Randall Eugene Trammell (R)
Richard Wood (I) (R)
Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner
Deandre Bernard Mathis (D)
Ambuj “AJ” Jain (D)
Clarence Blalock (D)
Keisha Sean Waites (D)
Thomas Gabriel Dean (D)
Labor Commissioner
Christian Smith (D)
Jason Matthew Moon (D)
Brett Hulme (D)
Michelle Sanchez (D)
Nikki Porcher (D)
Barbara Yolanda Rivera Holmes (R) (I)
Porcher reached out to WRGA and issued the following news release:
Nikki Porcher
Nikki Porcher, a U.S. Air Force veteran, entrepreneur, and founder of the national organization Buy From A Black Woman, officially qualified Thursday as a candidate for Georgia Labor Commissioner. Porcher enters the race with firsthand experience navigating the workforce system both as a veteran returning home and as the mother of a service member currently deployed overseas.
After leaving the military, Porcher struggled to find stable work through the same workforce systems many Georgians rely on today. Nearly two decades later, her family encountered many of the same challenges again. Her son completed certifications through Georgia’s technical college system while searching for employment. But after struggling to find real opportunities through job listings connected to the state workforce system, he ultimately chose military service and is now deployed overseas.
“Georgia is training people for jobs every day through our schools and technical colleges. But too many workers still leave those programs without a clear path to employment,” Porcher said.
During a recent five-minute call from overseas, her son told her he believed in her campaign. “Then he said, ‘You better win, because I’m going to need a job when I get out,’” Porcher explained. For her, that moment reinforced why the role of Labor Commissioner matters. “Georgia should be ready for our veterans before they land,” she said. “Skills translated. Credentials recognized. Employers connected. No red tape. No delay,” Porcher added.
Beyond her military service, Porcher is known nationally for founding Buy From A Black Woman, an organization that has helped more than 700 entrepreneurs gain access to resources, certifications, and funding opportunities. Businesses supported through the organization’s programs have generated more than $6.12 million in revenue since 2021. Porcher says her experience building economic infrastructure outside of government has shaped how she views the role of Labor Commissioner.
“The Department of Labor should do more than process paperwork,” Porcher said. “It should connect workers to real opportunity and help businesses find the people they need to grow,” she clarified.
Porcher also says the conversation about workforce policy must include the real barriers that keep people from being able to work. “Workforce policy isn’t just about job postings,” she said. “It’s about whether a parent can afford childcare, whether someone has transportation to get to work, and whether training actually leads to a real job,” she explained.
Porcher says her campaign will focus on modernizing the state’s labor systems, strengthening job pipelines across all 159 counties, and ensuring workers, veterans, and small businesses can access the opportunities they have earned. “For families across Georgia, who runs this office affects their stability and their future,” Porcher said. “This is not just politics for me. It is personal,” she emphasized.
“We can build a Georgia where work works for everyone,” she said. “And that includes the people who raised their right hand to serve this country.”
