ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Another Republican is joining the race to become Georgia’s second-highest-ranking chief executive.
On Monday, state Sen. Blake Tillery, who has been representing Vidalia and several surrounding counties under the Gold Dome since 2016, is officially announcing his campaign to become lieutenant governor.
Tillery is the first candidate to enter the race after current Lt. Gov. Burt Jones’ announcement last month he is running for governor.
State Sen. Steve Gooch from Dahlonega was the first candidate to throw his hat into the ring, followed by state Sen. Josh McLaurin from Sandy Springs.
In early June, state Sen. John Kennedy announced his candidacy. Kennedy, Gooch, and Tillery are Republicans, while McLaurin so far is the only Democratic candidate.
Tillery has represented a district including Appling, Jeff Davis, Long, Montgomery, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler, and portions of Liberty and Tattnall counties since 2016.
Kennedy is the Senate’s top-ranking Republican, while Gooch is the Senate majority leader.
Jones and current Attorney General Chris Carr are the only Republicans so far to enter the state’s high-profile 2026 governor’s race to replace the term-limited Brian Kemp. Carr and Jones are locked in a bitter legal battle over the legality of Jones’ campaign donations.
On the Democratic side, former state Labor commissioner Michael Thurmond last week joined four other Democrats — state Sen. Jason Esteves, state Rep. Derrick Jackson, former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and businessman/pastor Olu Brown — who are seeking their party’s nomination.
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