Early voting in Georgia's nationally watched primaries enters its final week, as Democrats and Republicans prepare to choose their nominees in several high profile races, including open races for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and every state and congressional legislative seat.
Seven Republicans and two Democrats are running to replace Gov. Nathan Deal, who cannot run for a third term. Voters will also choose its first new lieutenant governor in more than a decade, as incumbent Casey Cagle is running for governor.
Also open is the secretary of state's office; Brian Kemp is another gubernatorial hopeful.
Three Republicans and two Democrats are seeking to replace Cagle: former state legislators Geoff Duncan and Rick Jeffares, and state Sen. David Shafer on the GOP, with Sarah Riggs Amico and Triana Arnold James on the Democratic side.
Four Republicans and three Democrats are running for secretary of state.
In other races:
► In metro Atlanta's 4th congressional district, incumbent Democrat Hank Johnson drew primary opposition from Juan Parks, while two Republicans are hoping to unseat Johnson: Joe Profit and Melanie Williams.
► U.S. Rep. Karen Handel (R-6), who has been in office less than a year after winning the nation's most expensive congressional election in history, will face another battle this fall from one of four Democrats. Kevin Abel, Bobby Kaple, Lucy McBath and Steven Knight Griffin are all running for their party's nomination.
► This year’s most crowded congressional race is where U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall (R-7) is facing eight challengers from his Gwinnett and Forsyth county district, including from Shane Hazel from within his own party. Six Democrats are running as well: Carolyn Bourdeaux, David Kim, Ethan Pham, Kathleen Allen, Melissa Davis and Steve Reilly.
► U.S. Rep. Jody Hice (R-10) made headlines recently when Facebook announced it was locating its new data center in his district, Social Circle, to be exact. That didn’t stop Hice from drawing two challengers from within his own party – Bradley Griffin and Joe Hunt – along with three Democrats: Chalis Montgomery, Richard Dien Winfield and Tabitha Johnson-Green.
