Morning Digest: Georgia Republican switches parties as he eyes bid for governor

And a new candidate with long Democratic bona fides enters the race

Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who was elected as a Republican but just joined the Democratic Party (credit: Geoff Duncan Facebook)

Leading Off

GA-Gov

Former DeKalb County Chief Executive Michael Thurmond announced Wednesday that he was entering the Democratic primary for governor of Georgia, a move that came just a day after a prominent ex-Republican sent his strongest signal yet that he might also seek the Democratic nomination.

"My journey to becoming a Democrat started well before Donald Trump tried to steal the 2020 election in Georgia," former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who was elected as a Republican to his only term in 2018, wrote in a Tuesday op-ed for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "My decision was centered around my daily struggle to love my neighbor, as a Republican."

Duncan's essay, which garnered significant attention, ran one month after he first expressed interest in running as a Democrat to succeed GOP Gov. Brian Kemp, who cannot seek a third term next year. Both Republicans opposed Trump's attempt to overturn his loss to Joe Biden, but Duncan was the only one who foreclosed whatever future he had in GOP politics.

The former lieutenant governor, who said in 2021 he would form a group called "GOP 2.0" to advance the "healing and rebuilding" of the Republican Party rather than seek a second term, had not publicly identified as a Democrat until this week. But Duncan, who endorsed Kamala Harris last year, was anything but surprised when the state GOP voted to boot him in January: He responded to his expulsion by asking, "What took them so long?"

Not everyone in Duncan's new party, though, likes the idea of having him as their nominee in the race to replace Kemp.

"He helped pass the same laws he now opposes," state Rep. Ruwa Romman told the AJC of Duncan, who was part of the GOP majority in the legislature from 2013 to 2017. "He could have expressed these thoughts for years now."

Fellow state Rep. David Wilkerson also predicted that it would be difficult "for anyone who has been so closely tied to the GOP brand to win a 2026 Democratic primary."

That's not an issue for Thurmond, whose history in Peach State Democratic politics goes back four decades.

Thurmond, 72, was first elected to represent the college town of Athens in the state House in 1986, and his subsequent 1998 victory in the race for labor commissioner made him the first Black person elected to a statewide post without having first been appointed to the position.

Thurmond won two more terms in 2002 and 2006, even as Republicans were winning their first two races for governor since Reconstruction, but the GOP's continuing gains in the state hampered his hopes for a promotion. Thurmond opted to challenge Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson in 2010, but his campaign didn't attract much national attention in a brutal cycle where Senate Democrats had to defend a host of vulnerable seats.

Isakson won reelection in a 58-39 landslide, but that disappointing result did not mark the end of Thurmond's career. The Democrat bounced back in 2016 when he was elected to lead DeKalb County, a large and heavily Democratic constituency that includes many of Atlanta's suburbs and a small portion of the city. (Most of Atlanta is located in neighboring Fulton County.)

Thurmond, who could not seek reelection last year due to term limits, joins a Democratic primary that already includes two other prominent names, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and state Sen. Jason Esteves. State Rep. Derrick Jackson is also running, but he's raised little money.

Each of the four Democratic candidates would make history as Georgia's first Black governor, as well as its first Democratic chief executive in more than two decades. Bottoms would be the first woman elected to lead the Peach State, while Esteves, who is Puerto Rican with Black ancestry, would be its first Latino governor. (Duncan is white.)

Republicans, meanwhile, are slogging their way through a nasty primary between Attorney General Chris Carr and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who was elected to succeed Duncan in 2022. Georgia's candidate filing deadline isn't until early March of next year, so the field could grow larger still on both sides.

Party primaries will take place in May, but candidates need to win a majority to avoid a runoff the following month. In the November general election, contenders must again exceed 50% to avert a second round in December.

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The inside scoop on Texas Dems' walkout

What's it like to have to indefinitely uproot your life in the face of thuggish legal threats so that you can help save democracy as we know it? Texas state Rep. Mihaela Plesa returns to The Downballot podcast this week to give us a rare inside look at the remarkable decision by Democrats to flee the state in an effort to block Republicans from passing an egregious new gerrymander.

Plesa hammers the GOP for prioritizing partisan gain over critical flood relief; explains the devious ways Republicans want to undermine Black and Latino voting rights; and tells us about Democrats' new life on the road and the enthusiastic reception she and her compatriots have received—wherever they've gone.

Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard also explore newly reported details about California's plan to fight back, including a likely special election asking voters to adopt a new map, as well which Republican incumbents might get targeted.

The Downballot podcast comes out every Thursday morning everywhere you listen to podcasts. Click here to subscribe and to find a complete transcript!

Election Recaps

Detroit, MI Mayor & City Council

Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield and Pastor Solomon Kinloch advanced out of Tuesday's nonpartisan primary for mayor, but the results confirm that Sheffield begins the three-month general campaign in an enviable position.

Sheffield, who would be the first woman elected to lead the Motor City, secured 51% of the vote, which was three times larger than Kinloch's 17% share. Former City Council President Saunteel Jenkins was just behind with 16%. (All are Democrats.)

Whoever wins the Nov. 4 general election will succeed incumbent Mike Duggan, a former Democrat who opted to run for governor as an independent rather than seek reelection.

Detroit will also hold elections for its nine-member City Council, and Democrats in the Michigan state House will be watching to see if their most unreliable member will soon have a new job.

State Rep. Karen Whitsett, who announced early this year that she would no longer caucus with her party, will compete in the fall election for the City Council's open 7th District.

Denzel Anton McCampbell, who leads the liberal organization Progress Michigan, led Whitsett 34.5 to 34.0 in Tuesday's nonpartisan primary, with another candidate taking 25%. Democrats would be happy to replace Whitsett in her safely blue legislative seat after she, among many other things, blocked a plan to allow Medicaid to pay for abortions.

However, that doesn't mean that prominent Democrats are just fine with Whitsett getting what she wants and securing a new office. McCampbell has the support of several local politicians and groups, including U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib and IBEW Local 58. And if Whitsett loses, she's likely to face a primary challenge next year.

King County, WA Executive

King County Councilman Girmay Zahilay leads colleague Claudia Balducci 42-30 in the first round of voting for county executive. The two Democrats, who share similar views, will face off again in November in an open-seat race to lead King County, which is home to Seattle and nearby communities.

Either contender would make history. Zahilay, who was born to Ethiopian refugees in Sudan, would be the first immigrant to hold this post. Balducci, likewise, would be the first woman elected to run Washington's largest county.

Zahilay enjoys the support of prominent Democrats like Gov. Bob Ferguson and Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Adam Smith. Balducci, for her part, has Rep. Marilyn Strickland in her corner.

Seattle, WA Mayor

Progressive organizer Katie Wilson leads Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, a fellow Democrat, 48-43 in the first round of the officially nonpartisan election to lead Washington's largest city, with no one else hitting 5%.

The result gives Harrell, who just months ago seemed to be on a glide path to a second term, another reason to worry about his prospects on Nov. 4. Wilson is challenging the incumbent from the left and has argued that he's failed to do enough to address the rising cost of living and homelessness.

Morning Digest: Seattle's mayor hopes to be the first to win reelection in two decades

The mayor, however, also has cause to hope that the November electorate will be more friendly to him. In 2021, Harrell led his opponent, Lorena Gonzalez, 34-32 in the first round before beating her in a 59-41 rout three months later.

Seattle, WA City Attorney

Former federal prosecutor Erika Evans leads Republican City Attorney Ann Davison 53-36 in Seattle's officially nonpartisan top-two primary, a result that underscores just how tough it will be for Davison to repeat her upset 2021 victory in this dark blue city. Two other candidates, who joined Evans in running to Davison's left, split the balance.

Seattle, WA Ballot

Seattle voted to renew the city's "Democracy Voucher" program for another decade, with Proposition 1 passing 57-43. The result means that Emerald City residents will continue to receive four $25 vouchers that they can donate to candidates who agree to participate in the program.

WA State Senate

Democratic state Sen. Deb Krishnadasan holds a tiny 50.1 to 49.6 advantage over Republican state Rep. Michelle Caldier as of Wednesday evening in the top-two primary for Washington's competitive 26th Senate District, a result that presages a competitive November general election when the two will face off again.

Late-counted ballots, which in Washington tend to be disproportionately Democratic, may extend Krishnadasan’s lead, but the first round is sure to remain tight. While Republicans are eager to flip the seat, though, Democrats currently hold a wide 30-19 advantage and are all but certain to retain their majority when half of the chamber goes before voters next year.

Krishnadasan, who was appointed last year to replace fellow Democrat Emily Randall after she was elected to the U.S. House, recently appeared on The Downballot podcast to explain the stakes of the race.

Governors

OK-Gov

State House Speaker Kyle Hilbert released a report Tuesday concluding that Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters had inadvertently shown footage of nude women at a Board of Education meeting because his office TV "automatically launched Samsung's free streaming service and began playing a film that contained explicit content, without anyone in the room realizing it at the time."

Walters, a potential Republican candidate for governor, remains under investigation by law enforcement over the episode. Walters has accused term-limited Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt and others of trying to carry out a "character assassination."

TN-Gov

Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn on Wednesday finally announced her long-awaited campaign for governor to succeed termed-out Gov. Bill Lee, a fellow Republican.

Blackburn, who was elected to a new six-year term in the Senate last year, begins her new campaign as the undisputed frontrunner to capture the GOP nomination. But Rep. John Rose, who amassed a large personal fortune before he entered politics, is still hoping to put up a fight in next year's primary.

The only poll we've seen here was a January internal for Blackburn that showed her crushing Rose 71-13. Those ugly numbers, though, didn't deter the congressman from launching his campaign two months later, or from self-funding $5 million to support his effort.

Not many other notable Volunteer State Republicans are likely to join him in opposing Blackburn, and they have a compelling reason to stay on her good side: Blackburn would be able to appoint a new senator if she wins the governor's office, and plenty of Republicans are angling for the job.

House

AL-01

There's an announcement pileup in Alabama's dark red 1st District. Former Rep. Jerry Carl on Wednesday teased a "very big announcement" that will happen "soon," which comes weeks after ​​WALA reported he was "highly likely" to reclaim his old seat.

He appears to be waiting on Rep. Barry Moore, who holds the 1st and previously scheduled a "BIG announcement" of his own for Aug. 15 that looks like the start of a Senate campaign. Moore narrowly defeated Carl in last year's primary after court-ordered redistricting instigated a clash between the two incumbents.

CA Redistricting

California's Democratic-dominated state legislature is set to vote on a new redistricting proposal the week of Aug. 18, the New York Times reports, which is when lawmakers are set to reconvene.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom previously said he'd like to put the proposal before voters in a Nov. 4 special election. Secretary of State Shirley Weber, also a Democrat, says that legislators would need to act by Aug. 22 to ensure an election can be held in November, though that date likely reflects practical concerns rather than legal considerations.

"Any less than two and a half months, you're not gonna have time to hire people and get them trained and get everything running properly in order to do the election," a spokesperson told the Sacramento Bee.

FL-07

A former girlfriend of Republican Rep. Cory Mills filed a restraining order against him last month after he allegedly threatened both to release nude videos of her and to harm her future partners, Roger Sollenberger reported Tuesday evening at Drop Site.

Mills has been at the center of numerous scandals this year, including accusations that he assaulted a different partner. The congressman responded to the latest allegations by denying wrongdoing.

KY-06

Wealthy businessman Lain Garrett, who is also a finance professor at the University of Kentucky, could potentially run for Kentucky's open 6th District, according to "several insiders" (all unnamed) who spoke to the Lexington Herald Leader. Garrett did not return a request for comment from the paper.

ME-02

State Auditor Matt Dunlap, who's publicly floated a possible challenge to Rep. Jared Golden in next year's Democratic primary for Maine's 2nd District, now tells Maine Public Radio he expects to decide between Labor Day (which falls on Sept. 1 this year) and Oct. 1.

NC-06

High Point Mayor Cyril Jefferson on Wednesday became the first notable Democrat to challenge Republican Rep. Addison McDowell in North Carolina's 6th District, a constituency the GOP aggressively gerrymandered last cycle.

Democratic Rep. Kathy Manning did not seek reelection after concluding she couldn't win under the new lines, and McDowell, who faced only third-party opposition in the general election, easily won as Donald Trump carried the revamped 6th 58-41.

NE Redistricting

Even though he's retiring, Rep. Don Bacon tells the Nebraska Examiner that his fellow Republicans are discussing the possibility of further gerrymandering his 2nd Congressional District, though he added that these conversations are "nothing serious" at the moment.

Four years ago, Republican lawmakers carved out parts of the Omaha suburbs and replaced them with far-flung rural areas to keep the 2nd District from becoming bluer. Those changes may have saved Bacon, who recently complained about gerrymandering by posting an image of a fake map that isn't actually in use anywhere: He won reelection by less than 3 points in 2022 and less than 2 points in 2024.

NJ-09

Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh is not ruling out a primary challenge to Democratic Rep. Nellie Pou in New Jersey's 9th District, a longtime Democratic stronghold that swung hard to the right last year.

"I do keep my options open," Sayegh told Politico's Matt Friedman even as he said he was raising money to seek reelection next May. Friedman notes that Paterson's local elections are just a month before the state's congressional primaries, so Sayegh would almost certainly need to choose between a bid for Congress and seeking reelection.

Last year, Sayegh was one of several Democrats who put their name forward after longtime Rep. Bill Pascrell died in office, but he dropped out after it became clear that party leaders would nominate Pou. Pou won her first term 51-46 even as Donald Trump unexpectedly carried the 9th 49-48, four years after losing it 59-40.

Republicans are hoping last year's results were no fluke, among them Clifton City Councilwoman Rosie Pino, who entered the race last month. However, she faces an already hostile intra-party battle with perennial candidate Billy Prempeh, who's blasted Pino for leading a group that endorsed Pou last year and called her "the best candidate to represent us in Washington, D.C."

VA-01

Meteorologist Sean Sublette on Wednesday joined a packed Democratic primary to face Republican Rep. Rob Wittman, who has never faced serious general election opposition in Virginia's 1st District.

Sublette, who served as the chief meteorologist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch before founding his own weather forecasting company, told his old paper he was motivated to run because of the GOP's "conspiracy theories" about science.

Sublette said that when he grew up in Richmond in the 1970s, there was "that thick haze hanging over the city every summer." While noting that affected residents came together to restore the local environment, he expressed concern "that people have forgotten how bad it was, and they're turning their backs on good environmental regulations that have gotten us clean air and clean water."

Several other central Virginia Democrats are campaigning to unseat Wittman. Calculations from The Downballot show that the 1st District voted for Donald Trump 52-47 in November after supporting him 52-46 four years earlier, which makes it the only one of Virginia's 11 congressional districts that moved to the left last year.