Since no candidate won 50% of the vote in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor of Georgia, the top two vote getters — Greg Dolezal (R) and John F. Kennedy (R) — advanced to the Republican primary runoff on June 16, 2026. Ahead of the Republican primary on May 19, 2026, Dolezal, Kennedy, Steve Gooch (R), and Blake Tillery (R) led in polling and media attention ahead of the primary. Incumbent Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R) ran for governor of Georgia rather than for another term as lieutenant governor.
While all four leading candidates were members of the Georgia Senate, they took different approaches with their campaigns.
Dolezal was first elected to represent Georgia Senate District 27 in 2018. He became chief deputy majority whip in 2019. His campaign website stated that he "stood with President [Donald] Trump when it mattered most" and "has authored some of the most conservative laws to pass the Georgia legislature.” Dolezal was one of four state senators in 2020 who called for a special session to select a separate slate of presidential electors. At the time, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) said he would not call a special session.
Gooch was first elected to represent Georgia Senate District 51 in 2010. He also served as majority leader from 2023 to 2025. Gooch's campaign website stated that he "has been a consistent and vocal supporter of President Donald Trump ever since he came down the escalator in Trump Tower in 2015.” It also stated that, if elected lieutenant governor, he "[will] not only deliver real relief for our families by eliminating the state income tax, he will overhaul our property tax system to ensure our seniors and veterans are no longer taxed out of their homes by runaway local governments.”
Kennedy represented Georgia Senate District 18 from 2015 to 2025. He also served as president pro tempore from 2023 to 2025. The Georgia Recorder's Maya Homan wrote that "While other candidates for the seat emphasized their loyalty to President Donald Trump and MAGA policies, Kennedy took a different approach, focusing on his conservative values and work in the state legislature.” According to Kennedy's campaign website his priorities included improving education, addressing public safety, and "continuing [Georgia’s] historic run of job creation and investment.”
Tillery was first elected to represent Georgia Senate District 19 in 2016. He became chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which develops the state's budget, in 2020. Tillery said he focused his campaign on messages on issues "that seem to appeal to everyone": "We're talking about eliminating the state income tax. We're talking about making sure that Georgia immigration laws are followed, and that sanctuary cities don't exist. We're talking about making sure that state taxpayer dollars are not used to pay for transgender surgery.”
David Clark (R), Brenda Nelson-Porter (R), Takosha Swan (R), and Jerry Timbs (R) also ran in the Republican primary.
