This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(November 2012)
Incumbent Governor
Sonny Perdue (R) was ineligible to seek re-election due to term limits. The Republican primary featured four candidates who received over 15% of the vote in the first round: former
Secretary of StateKaren Handel, former U.S. Representative
Nathan Deal, former
Georgia State SenatorEric Johnson, and Insurance Commissioner
John Oxendine.[2] Handel, Deal, and Johnson all resigned their offices during or shortly before the campaign. Because no candidate received a majority of the vote, the race went to a runoff between the top two candidates, Handel and Deal.
Deal won the runoff narrowly, with a margin of about 0.4%, or 2,519 votes out of 579,551 cast.[3] The Democratic nomination was won easily by former Governor
Roy Barnes without a runoff; his most prominent opponent was
Attorney GeneralThurbert Baker.[4]
In the general election, Deal defeated Barnes, becoming just the third Republican to be elected Governor of Georgia, after Perdue and Reconstruction-era governor
Rufus Bullock.
Incumbent Secretary of State
Brian Kemp (R), who succeeded
Karen Handel (R) after she resigned to focus on her gubernatorial bid,[8] sought election to a full term and won the Republican primary on July 20. Georganna Sinkfield defeated
Gail Buckner in a runoff for the Democratic nomination.
Incumbent Superintendent of Education
Kathy Cox (R) originally intended to seek re-election, but on May 17 announced that she would resign effective July 1, 2010 in order to take a position as CEO of a new
non-profit, the U.S. Education Delivery Institute in Washington D.C.[11]William Bradley Bryant was appointed by Gov. Perdue to fill the vacancy,[12] but failed to qualify to run in the November election as an independent.[13]Joe Martin and
John D. Barge won the Democratic and Republican nominations, respectively.
Incumbent Commissioner of Insurance
John Oxendine (R) was retiring from his position to run for Governor of Georgia.
Ralph Hudgens defeated
Maria Sheffield in a runoff for the Republican nomination, while
Mary Squires was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
Incumbent Commissioner of Agriculture
Tommy Irvin (D) was retiring in 2010.[16]Gary Black won the Republican nomination, while
J. B. Powell was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
Incumbent Commissioner of Labor
Mike Thurmond (D) was retiring from his position to run for the
United States Senate.
Darryl Hicks narrowly won the Democratic nomination, according to unofficial results, while
Mark Butler easily won the Republican nomination.
In 2010, one seat on the
Georgia Public Service Commission was up for election. Though candidates must come from the districts that they wish to represent on the commission, they are elected statewide.
Public Service Commissioner District 2
2010 Georgia Public Service Commission District 2 election
Incumbent second District Public Service Commissioner Bobby Baker (R) is retiring.[19]Tim Echols defeated
John Douglas in a runoff for the Republican nomination, while
Keith Moffett was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
Two measures, both legislatively referred constitutional amendments, will be on the ballot: the Trauma Care Funding Amendment (Impose $10 fee on car registration; funds directed to trauma care centers) and the Employment Contract Enforcement Amendment (Allow the enforcement of contracts that restrict competition during or after the term of employment).