Kemp defeats Abrams in Baldwin County

Nov. 9—For the second time in four years, Brian Kemp and Stacey Abrams waged battle against each other for the right to serve as governor of Georgia. The two first squared off in 2018 with Kemp, a longtime Republican, winning the race.

In Tuesday's rematch, Kemp defeated Abrams in Baldwin County by a margin of 1,077 votes, according to unofficial election returns released by Baldwin County Elections Superintendent Todd A. Blackwell.

The incumbent governor, who campaigned in Milledgeville on three different occasions, collected 7,987 votes, while Abrams, a Democrat, received 6,910 votes in Baldwin County.

Across the state, Kemp held a commanding lead in several Republican counties as of late Tuesday.

Burt Jones, who served Milledgeville and surrounding areas for the past several years as the District 25 state senator, turned back Democratic challenger Charlie Bailey in the race for lieutenant governor. Jones is a Republican and businessman from Jackson.

Jones garnered 7,785 votes in Baldwin County, while Bailey received 6,741 votes unofficially.

In another race of interest locally state Rep. Mack Jackson, a Democrat from Washington County, won re-election to the Georgia House of Representatives. He had no opposition.

Jackson becomes the newest member of the Milledgeville-Baldwin County delegation following the drawing of new redistricting lines in the state.

In Tuesday's general election, Jackson, who will represent Washington County and the eastern portion of Baldwin County, received 1,599 votes, unofficially.

Several other Republican incumbent candidates also won re-election to state offices Tuesday.

They included:

* Brad Raffensperger for Secretary of State. He defeated Democratic hopeful Bee Nguyen.

* Chris Carr defeated Jen Jordan for Attorney General.

* Tyler Harper defeated Democratic hopeful Nakita Hemingway for Commissioner of Agriculture. Harper will replace Gary Black, who held office for several years as a Republican before he ran for the U.S. Senate and lost in the primary.

* John King, a Republican, won re-election as Commissioner of Insurance. He defeated Janice Laws Robinson.

* Richard Woods, the incumbent Republican State School Superintendent, defeated Democratic challenger Alisha Thomas Searcy.

* Bruce Thompson, a Republican, turned back Democratic hopeful William "Will" Boddie Jr. in the race for Labor Commissioner. In the race for the District 8 seat in U.S. Congress, Republican incumbent Rep. Austin Scott defeated Democratic hopeful Darrius Butler.