2020 United States Senate special election in Georgia
The 2020 United States Senate special election in Georgia will be held on November 3, 2020, following Senator Johnny Isakson's resignation effective December 31, 2019. Governor Brian Kemp appointed Kelly Loeffler to serve as Isakson's replacement, effective January 6, 2020, until the special election.
On November 3, 2020, per Georgia law, a special general election will take place on the same day as the regularly scheduled U.S. Senate election for the seat held by David Perdue. A primary election will not occur; instead, all candidates, regardless of party, will be placed on the same ballot. Party labels will be printed on the ballot and if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff election, to be held on January 5, 2021.
Background
On August 28, 2019, Isakson announced that he would resign from the Senate effective December 31, 2019, due to his deteriorating health. This triggered a special election to fill the remainder of his term. On September 17, 2019, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp launched a website inviting Georgia citizens to submit their résumés to be considered for appointment. President Donald Trump advocated the appointment of Rep. Doug Collins. Kemp appointed Republican Kelly Loeffler to fill the seat until the 2020 special election; she took office on January 6, 2020.Republican candidates
Declared
- Doug Collins, incumbent U.S. Representative for Georgia's 9th congressional district
- Derrick Grayson, minister, perennial candidate, U.S. Navy veteran
- Annette Davis Jackson, businesswoman, 2016 republican candidate for Georgia State Senate
- Wayne Johnson, former chief operating officer of the Office of Federal Student Aid
- Kelly Loeffler, incumbent U.S. Senator
- Kandiss Taylor, student services coordinator for Appling County Board of Education
Withdrawn
- Ervan Katari Miller, perennial candidate
Declined
- Nick Ayers, former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence
- Ashley Bell, regional administrator for the Small Business Administration
- Paul Broun, former U.S. Representative for Georgia's 10th congressional district
- Buddy Carter, incumbent U.S. Representative for Georgia's 1st congressional district
- Geoff Duncan, incumbent Lieutenant Governor of Georgia
- Stuart Frohlinger, finance expert
- Tom Graves, incumbent U.S. Representative for Georgia's 14th congressional district
- Karen Handel, former U.S. Representative and former Georgia Secretary of State
- Scott Hilton, former state representative
- Jan Jones, Speaker pro tempore of the Georgia House of Representatives
- Brian Kemp, incumbent Governor of Georgia
- Butch Miller, state senator
- B. J. Pak, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia and former state representative
- Sonny Perdue, United States Secretary of Agriculture and former Governor of Georgia
- Tom Price, former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services and former U.S. Representative for Georgia's 6th congressional district
Endorsements
Democratic candidates
Declared
- Deborah Jackson, former mayor of Lithonia, attorney
- Jamesia James, businesswoman, U.S. Air Force veteran, entrepreneur, congressional aide
- , businesswoman, activist and former candidate for the Georgia State Senate District 40.
- Matt Lieberman, businessman, activist, and son of Joe Lieberman, former U.S. Senator from Connecticut
- Joy Felicia Slade, physician
- Ed Tarver, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, former US Army officer, and former state senator
- Raphael Warnock, reverend and pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church
- Richard Dien Winfield, professor and candidate for Georgia's 10th congressional district in 2018
Declined
- Stacey Abrams, nominee for Governor of Georgia in 2018 and former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives
- Sherry Boston, DeKalb County District Attorney
- Jason Carter, nominee for Governor of Georgia in 2014, former state senator, and grandson of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
- Stacey Evans, candidate for Governor of Georgia in 2018 and former state representative
- Jen Jordan, state senator
- Lucy McBath, incumbent U.S. Representative for Georgia's 6th congressional district
- Michelle Nunn, CEO of CARE USA and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2014
- Jon Ossoff, documentary filmmaker and nominee for Georgia's 6th congressional district in 2017
- Mike Thurmond, DeKalb County chief executive, former Labor Commissioner of Georgia, and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2010
- Teresa Tomlinson, former mayor of Columbus
- Nikema Williams, state senator and Chair of the Georgia Democratic Party
- Sally Yates, former United States Deputy Attorney General
Endorsements
Other candidates
Libertarian Party
Nominee
- Brian Slowinski, candidate in 2014 for the Republican nomination Georgia's 10th congressional district
Green Party
Nominee
- John "Green" Fortuin
Independents
Declared
- Al Bartell, businessman, former Republican and Vietnam-era Air Force veteran
- Allen Buckley, attorney, accountant, Libertarian nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2004, 2008, 2016 and nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia in 2006
- Michael Todd Greene
- Rod Mack, member of the City of Hapeville Board of Appeals and candidate in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election
- Valencia Stovall, state representative
General election
Polling
Head to head matchups
; Loeffler vs. CollinsPoll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Kelly Loeffler | Doug Collins | Undecided |
July 2, 2020 | 513 | ± 4.3% | 28% | 34% | 37% | |
December 12–13, 2019 | 711 | — | 16% | 56% | 27% |
; Loeffler vs. Lieberman
Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Kelly Loeffler | Matt Lieberman | Other | Undecided |
July 2, 2020 | 513 | ± 4.3% | 46% | 39% | – | 15% | |
May 16–18, 2020 | 1,339 | ± 3.1% | 32% | 44% | 18% | 6% |
; Loeffler vs. Tarver
Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Kelly Loeffler | Ed Tarver | Other | Undecided |
May 16–18, 2020 | 1,339 | ± 3.1% | 32% | 43% | 20% | 6% |
; Loeffler vs. Warnock
Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Kelly Loeffler | Raphael Warnock | Other | Undecided |
July 2, 2020 | 513 | ± 4.3% | 48% | 37% | – | 15% | |
June 25–26, 2020 | 734 | ± 3.6% | 40% | 43% | – | 17% | |
May 16–18, 2020 | 1,339 | ± 3.1% | 32% | 45% | 18% | 6% | |
March 31 – April 1, 2020 | 1,035 | ± 3.0% | 40% | 41% | – | 19% | |
Mar 12-21, 2020 | 3,042 | ± 4.5% | 38% | 38% | – | 24% |
; Collins vs. Lieberman
Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Doug Collins | Matt Lieberman | Other | Undecided |
July 2, 2020 | 513 | ± 4.3% | 46% | 37% | – | 16% | |
May 16–18, 2020 | 1,339 | ± 3.1% | 44% | 44% | 7% | 5% |
; Collins vs. Tarver
Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Doug Collins | Ed Tarver | Other | Undecided |
May 16–18, 2020 | 1,339 | ± 3.1% | 45% | 42% | 8% | 5% |
; Collins vs. Warnock
Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Doug Collins | Raphael Warnock | Other | Undecided |
July 2, 2020 | 513 | ± 4.3% | 47% | 38% | – | 15% | |
June 25–26, 2020 | 734 | ± 3.6% | 43% | 41% | – | 17% | |
May 16–18, 2020 | 1,339 | ± 3.1% | 44% | 45% | 6% | 5% | |
May 6–15, 2020 | 2,893 | ± 2.0% | 43% | 41% | – | 16% | |
March 31 – April 1, 2020 | 1,035 | ± 3.0% | 49% | 36% | – | 15% | |
March 12–21, 2020 | 3,042 | ± 4.5% | 41% | 39% | – | 20% ; Loeffler vs. Broun PredictionsResults |