ATLANTA — Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced on Wednesday he will run to become the next governor of Georgia. Raffensperger spoke exclusively with Channel 2’s Mark Winne about his decision and what he believes he can bring to the table.
More of our exclusive interview, TODAY on Channel 2 Action News starting at 4:00 p.m.
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“I’m a business creator. I’ve worked in over 40 different states, so I understand what it takes to build an organization. And also, I think that great paying jobs is really important for Georgia. And as a job creator and business builder, that’s what we need to be focused on, is creating great paying jobs for all of Georgia,” Raffensperger said.
Raffensperger joins the Republican primary field that includes current Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr.
On the Democratic side, former Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, state Rep. Derrick Jackson, state Sen. Jason Esteves, former pastor Olujimi Brown and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms are running.
Other potential candidates have filed the paperwork, per the Georgia Ethics Commission database, but have not officially announced.
Raffensperger has served two terms as Georgia’s Secretary of State since he was elected first in 2018. It’s the same position that Gov. Brian Kemp held before he become governor.
He later gained national attention for his now-infamous phone call with President Donald Trump after his loss in the 2020 presidential election.
Trump called and asked Raffensperger to find nearly 12,000 votes after Trump lost Georgia to former President Joe Biden. Raffensperger pushed back against Trump, insisting the election was accurate.
Since then, Raffensperger has said repeatedly that Georgia’s elections, including mail-in ballots, are among the most secure in the country, with constant checks on voting machines to ensure integrity.
The Georgia Democratic Party issued the following response to Raffensperger entering the race.
“Brad Raffensperger’s campaign launch injects a new level of chaos into what was already a messy primary – and is bad news for Burt Jones and Chris Carr. With Raffensperger in, Republicans are set to be locked into a vicious primary between three candidates who all have a record of cheering on Donald Trump’s cost-raising, job-killing agenda, opposing Medicaid expansion, and stripping away reproductive freedoms. No matter who wins this primary, the Republican nominee will be badly damaged – and completely out of touch with Georgians.”
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- Lt. Gov. Burt Jones announces run for governor
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- Former Republican Lt. Gov Geoff Duncan running for GA governor as a Democrat
- State Rep. Derrick Jackson joins governor’s race
- Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms officially announces run for Georgia governor
- State Sen. Jason Esteves running for Georgia governor
- Former DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond enters Georgia governor’s race
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