DeKalb County Executive Michael Thurmond is running for Governor in 2026, as a Democrat, he announced this week.
Thurmond joins what is becoming a crowded race, with several Democrats vying for the position, including former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, state Sen. Jason Esteves, state Rep. Derrick Jackson, and Reverend Olu Brown.
On the Republican side, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has announced his candidacy, as well as Georgia Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones. GOP Gov. Brian Kemp is unable to run again due to term limits.
Thurmond, who assumed his role as DeKalb County Executive in 2016, won a subsequent reelection unopposed. He’s running on a platform to fight for the people of Georgia and bridge racial divides.
The 72-year-old Athens native was elected as his hometown’s first Black state legislator in 1986 and was elected again as the Peach State’s Labor Commissioner in 1998, becoming one of only three non-incumbent African Americans to win an election to statewide office, according to Atlanta News First.
During an interview Tuesday, Thurmond said as Governor he “will focus on the everyday issues that most Georgians are concerned about — i.e. the cost of groceries or rent or paying the mortgage, access to health care and, quite frankly, ending divisiveness that has prevented us from progressing more in this state.”
If elected, Thurmond would become Georgia’s first Black Governor.
“I bring a record of service and accomplishment,” Thurmond said. “I, throughout my career, never shied away from taking on tough jobs.”
Upon leaving his role as CEO of DeKalb County, the Atlanta suburb was left with more than $150 million in reserves, and Thurmond was also credited with stabilizing the DeKalb County school system after accusations of financial mismanagement and dysfunction were made, according to DeKalb County documents.
In mid-July, Thurmond hinted at a run during a meeting of the General Missionary Baptist Convention in Albany, saying “If y’all invite me back next year when I’m running for Governor, I’m going to be up here for a while.”
