2006 Georgia state elections

In the 2006 Georgia elections, Incumbent Governor Sonny Perdue, the first Republican Governor of Georgia since reconstruction, was re-elected over then-Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor (D).

Elections in Georgia

Prior to the elections, though Republicans held the Governor's mansion and majorities in both houses of the Georgia General Assembly, Democrats then-held five of the eight statewide offices. Following the elections, Republicans would pick up two positions, those being Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State, with the victories of Casey Cagle (who became the eleventh overall and first ever Republican elected Lieutenant Governor) and Karen Handel (who became the twenty-sixth overall and first Republican since reconstruction to be Secretary of State) in each of their respective races. Both positions were open after the incumbent office holders chose to seek the governorship of Georgia.

All other state Executive Officers, Attorney General of Georgia Thurbert Baker (D), state Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox (R), Commissioner of Insurance John Oxendine (R), Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin (D), and Commissioner of Labor Mike Thurmond (D), were re-elected. As of 2019, this is the most recent time a Democrat won a statewide election in Georgia.

Federal elections

United States Congressional elections

In 2006, all thirteen of Georgia's U.S. House seats were up for election. Neither of the Peach state's U.S. Senate seats were up for election that year.

United States House of Representatives elections

All thirteen of Georgia's incumbent Representatives sought re-election in 2006. Going into the elections, Republicans held seven of Georgia's U.S. House seats and Democrats held six seats. Notable House races in Georgia included those in the Fourth (more specifically the Democratic Primary), Eighth, and Twelfth districts.

Despite significant gains by Republicans in Georgia since 2002, such as consecutive Republican victories since in Presidential elections since 1996, gaining both of Georgia's U.S. Senate seats, the election of Sonny Perdue as Georgia's first post-Reconstruction Republican governor in 2002, successful elections of Republicans to other state executive offices, and gaining control of both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly for the first time since Reconstruction, Democrats have succeeded in gaining seats of Georgia's House delegation in recent House elections.

Following gains in both houses of the General Assembly in 2002 and 2004, Republicans enacted a mid-decade redistricting to alter the congressional districts created by the 146th Georgia General Assembly, which Democrats held control of at the time, with the intention of benefiting Republicans. Two Democratic incumbents who were especially targeted were Jim Marshall (GA-8) and John Barrow (GA-12). They were opposed respectively by former Representatives Mac Collins (who previously represented what is now the Third district) and Max Burns. These two races were among the most competitive in the nation, but ultimately resulted in both incumbents being re-elected by razor thin margins of 1 and 0.6 percentage points respectively.

The partisan makeup of Georgia's House delegation did not change, however one Incumbent, Cynthia McKinney (GA-4), was denied renomination by her 59% to 41% defeat in the Democratic Primary runoff to then-Dekalb county Commissioner Hank Johnson.

Governor

In the Republican primary, incumbent Sonny Perdue defeated challenger Ray McBerry by a margin of 88 percent to 12 percent. In the Democratic primary, Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor defeated state Secretary of State Cathy Cox, Bill Bolton, and Mac McCarley with 51.7 percent of the vote to Cox's 44 percent, Bolton's 2 percent, and McCarley 2 percent. Libertarian Garrett Michael Hayes faced Perdue Mark Taylor in the general election. Independent John Dashler withdrew from the race, unable to collect the 40,000 signatures required for ballot access.

Perdue was re-elected to a second term, winning 57.9 percent of the vote.

Lieutenant governor

General election results
Lieutenant Governor results by county.
2006 Lieutenant Governor election, Georgia
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Casey Cagle 1,134,517 54.1
Democratic Jim Martin 887,506 42.3
Libertarian Allen Buckley 75,673 3.6

Primary Results

Democrats

Georgia Democratic July Primary, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Jim Martin 184,635 41.2
Greg Hecht 163,004 36.4
Steen Miles 64,714 14.4
Griffin Lotson 22,378 5.0
Rufus Terrill 13,375 3.0
Georgia Democratic August Runoff, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Jim Martin 141,927 62.4
Greg Hecht 85,399 37.6

Republicans

Georgia Republican July Primary, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Casey Cagle 227,968 56
Ralph Reed 178,790 44

Libertarian

  • Allen Buckley

Secretary of State

General Election Results
2006 Secretary of State election, Georgia
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Karen Handel 1,116,216 54.1
Democratic Gail Buckner 862,412 41.8
Libertarian Kevin Madsen 84,670 4.1

Primary Results

Democrats

Georgia Democratic July Primary, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Gail Buckner 107,554 25.4
Darryl Hicks 92,742 21.9
Angela Moore 74,218 17.5
Shyam Reddy 69,802 16.5
Scott Holcomb 48,738 11.5
Walter Ray 29,992 7.1
Georgia Democratic August Runoff, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Gail Buckner 119,238 55.1
Darryl Hicks 97,061 44.9

Republicans

Georgia Republican July Primary, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Karen Handel 160,542 43.6
Bill Stephens 120,173 32.6
Charlie Bailey 50,792 13.8
Eric Martin 36,932 10
Georgia Republican August Runoff, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Karen Handel 96,931 56.6
Bill Stephens 74,198 43.4

Libertarian

  • Kevin Madsen

Attorney general

General Election Results
2006 Attorney General election, Georgia
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Thurbert Baker (incumbent) 1,185,366 57.2
Republican Perry McGuire 888,288 42.8

State School Superintendent

General election results
2006 State School Superintendent election, Georgia
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kathy Cox 1,257,236 59.9
Democratic Denise Majette 734,702 42.3
Libertarian David Chastain 106,215 5.1

Primary election results

Democrats

Georgia Democratic July Primary, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Denise Majette 288,564 67.1
Carlotta Harrell 141,630 32.9

Republicans

Georgia Republican July Primary, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Kathy Cox 259,711 64.7
Danny Carter 141,582 35.3

Libertarian

  • David Chastain

Commissioner of Insurance

General Election Results
2006 Commissioner of Insurance election, Georgia
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Oxendine (incumbent) 1,357,770 65.6
Democratic Guy Drexinger 713,324 34.4

Commissioner of Agriculture

General Election Results
Commissioner of Agriculture results by county.
2006 Commissioner of Agriculture election, Georgia
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tommy Irvin (incumbent) 1,168,371 56.0
Republican Gary Black 846,395 40.6
Libertarian Jack Cashin 70,015 3.4

Primary Results

Democrats

Republicans

Georgia Republican July Primary, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Gary Black 153,568 42.3
Brian Kemp 97,113 26.8
Bob Greer 57,813 15.9
Deanna Strickland 54,318 15.0
Georgia Republican August Runoff, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Gary Black 101,274 60.0
Brian Kemp 67,509 40.0

Libertarian

  • Jack Cashin

Commissioner of Labor

General election results
2006 Commissioner of Labor election, Georgia
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Michael Thurmond (incumbent) 1,127,182 54.8
Republican Brent Brown 929,812 45.2

Primary election results

Democrats

  • Michael Thurmond (incumbent)

Republicans

Georgia Republican July Primary, 2006
Candidate Votes % ±
Brent Brown 225,286 70.3
Chuck Scheid 94,998 29.7

Public Service Commissioner District 3

This is a statewide race.

General Election Results
2006 Public Service Commissioner District 3 election, Georgia
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic David L. Burgess 994,619 48.8
Republican Chuck Eaton 941,748 46.3
Libertarian Paul MacGregor 99,747 4.9
2006 Public Service Commissioner District 3 runoff election, Georgia
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Chuck Eaton 112,232 52.2
Democratic David L. Burgess 102,860 47.8

Primary election results

Republicans

Georgia Republican July Primary, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Chuck Eaton 182,469 58.6
Mark Parkman 128,669 41.4

Democrats

  • David Burgess

Libertarians

  • Paul MacGregor

Public Service Commissioner District 5

This is a statewide race.

General Election Results
2006 Public Service Commissioner District 5 election, Georgia
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stan Wise 1,122,173 55.0
Democratic Dawn Randolph 823,681 40.4
Libertarian Kevin Cherry 95,247 4.7

Primary Results

Republicans

Georgia Republican July Primary, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Stan Wise 233,617 68.8
Newt Nickell 105,929 31.2

Democrats

  • Dawn Randolph

Libertarians

  • Kevin Cherry

General Assembly elections

Georgia Senate elections

Georgia House of Representatives elections

Judicial elections

In 2006, four seats on the Supreme Court of Georgia and four on the Georgia Court of Appeals were up for election. All judicial elections in Georgia are officially non-partisan.

Supreme Court of Georgia elections

Incumbent state Supreme Court Associate Justices George H. Carley, Harold Melton, Hugh P. Thompson, and Carol W. Hunstein were all re-elected with three being unopposed. Only Hunstein received any opposition, which she overcame handily.[1]

Supreme Court (Hunstein seat) election
Supreme Court of Georgia election, 2006[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Nonpartisan Carol W. Hunstein 1,170,973 63.1%
Nonpartisan Mike Wiggins 683,483 36.9%
Turnout 1,854,456 100

Georgia Court of Appeals elections

Incumbent Judges John Ellington, M. Yvette Miller, Herbert E. Phipps, and J.D. Smith were re-elected without opposition[2]

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References
  1. http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/election_results/2006_1107/swsupreme.htm
  2. http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/election_results/2006_1107/swappeals.htm
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