McLaurin Wins Nomination
Josh McLaurin Secures Democratic Nomination for Lieutenant Governor in Georgia Race
Josh McLaurin has won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor of Georgia, defeating former State Senator Nabilah Parkes in a June 16 primary runoff AP News. The Associated Press called the race shortly after polls closed at 7:00 PM ET, pointing to a decisive margin for McLaurin.
McLaurin, a Yale Law School graduate serving his fourth term in the State Senate, will now face Republican nominee Greg Dolezal — also a sitting state senator — in the November 3 general election Gwinnett Daily Post.
An Open Seat Sparked a Fiercely Competitive Race
The contest opened up in July 2025 when Republican incumbent Burt Jones chose not to seek re-election, instead running for governor AP News. That decision made the lieutenant governor seat a rare prize — a statewide office with no incumbent to unseat.
In the May 19 primary, McLaurin and Parkes finished as the top two Democrats in a three-way field, but neither cleared the 50%-plus-one threshold needed to win outright Corsicana Daily Sun. That sent the race to a runoff. The dynamic had shifted earlier when Parkes switched from the Insurance Commissioner race to this one, turning what many expected to be an easy McLaurin win into a real fight.
McLaurin's "Messenger" Strategy Beats Parkes' Outsider Pitch
McLaurin built his campaign around his eight-year legislative record — four terms in the House, four in the Senate — and his daily floor speeches critiquing Republican policies, known as his "Trump Morning News" addresses Joplin Globe. He pitched himself as a "messenger" who could challenge Republican talking points with "clarity and conviction."
Parkes pushed back hard. She argued that McLaurin's bipartisan style "ultimately disadvantages Georgia Democrats" by softening the party's opposition to Republican policies SM Daily Journal. McLaurin countered that in a Republican-majority Senate, "building statewide coalitions is key to protecting democratic values." Democratic primary voters sided with McLaurin's approach.
McLaurin to Lead Ticket Alongside Keisha Lance Bottoms
McLaurin joins a Democratic ticket headed by Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor who won the party's nomination for governor Oskaloosa. Together, they will make the case to Georgia voters in a state that has grown increasingly competitive at the statewide level.
If elected, McLaurin would preside over a State Senate likely to remain Republican-controlled. He has acknowledged that "navigating that very tough environment" will define his effectiveness in office The Daily Review. His stated policy priorities include Medicaid expansion and repealing Georgia's six-week abortion ban — both of which face steep legislative odds.
Republican Dolezal Brings Aggressive, AI-Powered Campaign
On the Republican side, State Senator Greg Dolezal from Cumming defeated Senate President Pro Tem John F. Kennedy in the GOP runoff Gwinnett Daily Post. Kennedy had led the May primary with 27.3% — about 242,479 votes — but Dolezal, who drew 23.1% with roughly 205,303 votes, came back to win.
Dolezal gained national attention for leading a special legislative committee investigating Fulton County DA Fani Willis and for using AI-generated campaign ads, including one that depicted a "Sharia-free" Georgia Yahoo News. Critics called those ads "race-based political opportunism." His contrast with McLaurin sets up a sharp ideological clash this November.
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