2010 Georgia gubernatorial election

The 2010 Georgia gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Republican Governor Sonny Perdue was term-limited and unable to seek re-election. Primary elections for the Republican and Democratic parties took place on July 20. Democrats nominated former Governor Roy Barnes, and Republicans nominated Representative Nathan Deal following a runoff on August 10. The Libertarian Party also had ballot access and nominated John Monds. Deal won the general election, and took office on January 10, 2011.

As of 2022, this was the last election in which a candidate won the governorship by double digits. This is the first gubernatorial election in Georgia since 1990 in which the winner was of a different party than the incumbent president. This was the first election in which Republicans won three consecutive gubernatorial elections in the state. This was the last gubernatorial election in which Douglas, Henry, and Newton counties voted for the Republican candidate and the last in which Baker, Early, Mitchell, Peach, Clinch, Brooks, and McIntosh counties voted for the Democratic candidate.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Jeff Chapman, State Senator
• Nathan Deal, U.S. Representative
• Karen Handel, Secretary of State of Georgia
• Eric Johnson, former State Senator
• Ray McBerry, candidate for Governor in 2006
• John Oxendine, Insurance Commissioner
• Otis Putnam

Declined

• Johnny Isakson, incumbent U.S. Senator

Polling

Primary

Runoff

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Thurbert Baker, Attorney General of Georgia
• Roy Barnes, former Governor of Georgia
• Bill Bolton
• Carl Camon
• Randy Mangham
• DuBose Porter, State Representative
• David Poythress, former Adjutant General of the Georgia National Guard, former Commissioner of Labor and candidate for Governor in 1998

Polling

Results

Third party and independent candidates

Independent

• Neal Horsley

Libertarian Party

• John Monds, president of the Grady County NAACP

Write-in

• Samuel M. "Sam" Hay, III
• Jacob Perasso (Socialist Workers Party)

General election

Predictions

Polling

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Early (largest city: Blakely)
• McIntosh (largest municipality: Darien)
• Peach (largest municipality: Fort Valley)
• Lowndes (largest city: Valdosta)
• Burke (largest municipality: Waynesboro)
• Chatham (largest city: Savannah)
• Washington (largest municipality: Sandersville)
• Sumter (largest city: Americus)
• Jefferson (largest city: Louisville)
• Muscogee (largest city: Columbus)
• Rockdale (largest town: Conyers)

See also

• 2010 United States gubernatorial elections

References

External links

• Georgia Secretary of State – Elections Division Archived November 2, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
• Georgia Governor Candidates at Project Vote Smart
• Campaign contributions for 2010 Georgia Governor from Follow the Money
• Georgia Governor 2010 from OurCampaigns.com
• 2010 Georgia Gubernatorial General Election: Nathan Deal (R) vs Roy Barnes (D) graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
• Election 2010: Georgia Governor from Rasmussen Reports
• 2010 Georgia Governor Race from Real Clear Politics
• 2010 Georgia Governor's Race from CQ Politics
• Race Profile in The New York Times

Debates

• Georgia Governor Republican Primary Runoff Debate, C-SPAN, August 8, 2010

Official campaign sites (archived)

• Thurbert Baker
• Roy Barnes
• Al Bartell
• Bill Bolton
• Ray Boyd
• Carl Camon
• Jeff Chapman
• Nathan Deal
• Karen Handel
• Eric Johnson
• Randal Mangham
• Ray McBerry
• John Monds
• John Oxendine
• DuBose Porter
• David Poythress
• Otis Putnam