Following tonight’s runoff elections, Georgia voters will see an unprecedented number of Black women seeking federal and statewide office this November, reflecting the continued growth of Black women’s political power across the state and solidifying Georgia’s role as a national battleground for democracy.
With the field now officially set for November, Black women candidates have secured nominations for some of Georgia’s most influential offices, including Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Public Service Commission, and multiple congressional seats.
The results also mark an important milestone in Higher Heights’ She Wins Georgia initiative, a statewide effort launched to support, elevate, and mobilize around Black women candidates running for office across Georgia. From the Governor’s mansion to Congress, Black women are competing for some of the state’s most influential positions and offering voters a vision of leadership rooted in representation, accountability, and opportunity.
Among tonight’s notable victories, Judge Penny Brown Reynolds secured the Democratic nomination for Secretary of State, advancing one step closer to becoming the first Black woman elected to oversee elections in Georgia. In Georgia’s 1st Congressional District, nationally recognized political strategist Amanda Hollowell won her runoff election and will advance to November, where she will compete to represent coastal Georgia in Congress.
These victories build upon another historic milestone achieved earlier this year when Alicia Johnson became the first Black woman ever elected to statewide office in Georgia after winning a seat on the Public Service Commission. Johnson has already emerged as a leading voice on energy affordability, transparency, and consumer protections for Georgia families.
Taken together, these victories represent one of the strongest showings of Black women’s political leadership in Georgia history.
This November, seven of the nine statewide offices on the ballot will feature Black women candidates, while five Black women are seeking seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. From the Governor’s Office to Congress, Black women are stepping forward to lead at a moment when Georgia remains one of the most consequential political battlegrounds in the country.
At the same time, Governor Brian Kemp has called a special legislative session beginning June 17, where lawmakers are expected to consider new congressional and legislative district maps following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais. Voting rights advocates and elected officials have raised concerns that the proposed maps could weaken Black voting strength and threaten districts where Black voters currently have the power to elect candidates of their choice.
The juxtaposition is striking. As Black women continue breaking barriers and expanding representation, efforts are underway to redraw the political landscape in ways that could diminish the voices of the very communities driving Georgia’s democratic progress.
“Tonight’s results demonstrate what happens when Black women organize, mobilize, vote, and run for office,” said Glynda Carr, President and CEO of Higher Heights. “The historic number of Black women on Georgia’s ballot this year reflects years of organizing, coalition building, and civic engagement led by Black women and Black communities across the state. These candidacies are not isolated milestones. They are evidence of a movement.”
Carr continued, “For generations, Black women have been the backbone of Georgia’s democracy. They have organized, mobilized, and delivered victories that have transformed the state’s political landscape. Today, we are seeing more Black women than ever stepping forward as candidates, ready to lead and serve.”
Georgia voters will help determine the outcome of one of the nation’s most closely watched U.S. Senate races, all 14 congressional seats, and every statewide constitutional office. As they have in recent election cycles, Black voters, and particularly Black women voters, are expected to play a decisive role in shaping the outcome of these contests.
“All eyes will once again be on Georgia,” said Carr. “Black voters will help decide some of the most important races in the country, including critical congressional and statewide contests. At the same time, voters have an opportunity to elect a historic number of Black women to positions of leadership. The stakes are high, but so is the opportunity to build a government that better reflects the people it serves.”
Carr added, “At a moment when some leaders are attempting to redraw districts and dilute representation, Black women are doing what they have always done: organizing, voting, running for office, and moving democracy forward. That is the story of Georgia, and that is the story of Black women’s political power.”
Higher Heights celebrates the Black women candidates on Georgia’s November ballot and the voters whose participation continues to expand representation and strengthen democracy throughout Georgia and across the nation.
Black Women Candidates on Georgia’s November Ballot
Federal Offices
• U.S. House of Representatives: Nikema Williams, Lucy McBath, Jasmine Clark, Amanda Hollowell, and Ceretta Smith
Statewide Offices
• Governor: Keisha Lance Bottoms
• Secretary of State: Penny Brown Reynolds
• Attorney General: Tanya Miller
• Commissioner of Insurance: Keisha Sean Waites
• Commissioner of Labor: Nikki Porcher
• State School Superintendent: Dr. Lydia Powell
• Public Service Commission: Shelia Edwards
About Higher Heights: Higher Heights for America, a 501(c)(4) organization, and its connected federal political action committee, Higher Heights for America PAC, which works to expand Black women’s elected representation and voting participation.
About She Wins Georgia: She Wins Georgia is Higher Heights’ statewide initiative to support, elevate, and mobilize Black women candidates and voters across Georgia. The campaign seeks to build Black women’s political power, increase representation at every level of government, and ensure Black women have the resources and support necessary to win.
