Jewish Candidates Win, Lose, and Earn Runoff Slots

Democrat Esther Panitch, the lone Jewish member of the Georgia General Assembly, survived a primary challenge from her political left and now moves on to a rematch in November’s general election.

After weeks of contentious campaigning, the two-term representative from House District 51 in Fulton County received 56.5 percent of 6,661 votes cast to defeat another Jewish candidate, Aaron Baker. Baker, a first-time candidate who identifies as a lesbian, transgender woman, and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, garnered 43.5 percent.

Panitch next faces Republican Keith Gettman, whom she defeated in 2024 with 58 percent of the vote.

In a Facebook post, Panitch said: “Thank you, House District 51. You chose experience over slogans, results over rhetoric, and substance over stunts.

“Two terms ago, you sent me to the Gold Dome to fight for you. We delivered. The Family Justice Center Act will save lives across Georgia. The Foreign Funding Transparency Act and the Title VI law will protect our schools. HB 30 wrote the strongest protection against antisemitism in Georgia’s history into law. Crime victims, foster kids, and survivors of domestic violence have a stronger voice in this state because of the work we did together.”

Panitch concluded her post with a message to her opponent: “Finally, thank you, Aaron Baker, for keeping me on my toes. I’ll be a better representative because of the challenge. Your websites are sharp, and I hope you keep building. I hope we can work together.”

For her part, Baker issued a statement that included: “I want you to know that this campaign accomplished some incredible things. First and foremost, more than a third of a million dollars was spent to defeat us in a local election where only 5,000 people voted. That’s over $70 a vote!

“They spent that money because we were a threat. A threat to the establishment and a threat to the idea that politics should belong to corporations, consultants, and wealthy insiders instead of ordinary people,” she said.

Baker told supporters: “This fight may be over. But, we are not done fighting. I can’t tell you how important this election is in November. Now is not the time to grow cynical. Now is not the time to disengage. I will be doing everything I can to make sure that we see a blue tsunami in Georgia unlike anything we’ve seen before.”

Turnout statewide was pegged at nearly 2 million votes cast, 27 percent of the state’s 7.3 million active voters, with Democrats accounting for 53.1 percent of the ballots. Early voting was strong, with 1.03 million Georgians, 14 percent of active voters — casting ballots, the vast majority in-person.

Georgia requires that a candidate win a majority of the votes cast to avoid a runoff and that played into races involving two Jewish candidates. Runoff elections will be held June 16.

Jewish Democrat Dana Barrett, currently a Fulton County commissioner, finished second in a field of four and advances to a runoff in her bid for the party’s nomination to be secretary of state. Barrett received 35.2 percent of the vote, behind 42.3 percent for Penny Brown Reynolds.

In a statement released by her campaign, Barrett said: “Over four months ago, I launched this campaign because Georgians are struggling. People can’t afford groceries, rent, childcare, or healthcare. The only way we fix these problems is by electing leaders who will fight for real solutions and the only way we elect those leaders is through free, fair, and secure elections. Georgia voters sent a message loud and clear tonight: they want a Secretary of State who will stop at nothing to protect their vote. I was willing to go to jail to protect Fulton County’s elections. I was out front telling the truth about the FBI raid on our elections warehouse. As Trump ramps up his threats against election workers and voters in our state, there’s no chance I’m backing down now.”

Jewish Democrat Kevin Abel was the leading vote-getter in Georgia Senate District 14 primary and moves on to a runoff against Nathalie J. Kanani. Abel received 37.4 of the vote to 32.6 percent for Kanani and 29.9 percent for Kay Howell.

Abel told the AJT: “The election was essentially a three-way tie. I want to congratulate Kay Howell on her terrific showing. She ran an amazing grassroots campaign. As the candidate in the runoff who has lived in and served North Fulton for all of my adult life, I will be able to step into the legislature and be effective on Day 1. I hope to prevail in the runoff on June 16.”

The runoff winner will face Republican Mike Dvorscak, who received 63.8 percent of the vote in a three-candidate primary field.

Jewish Democrat Barry Wolfert lost his bid for his party’s nomination in the 11th congressional district, the East Cobb realtor garnering just 25.2 percent of the vote against 74.7 percent for Chris Harden.

In his bid for a second six-year term, Jewish Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff will wait another month for a Republican general election opponent.

Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins received 40.5 percent of the GOP primary vote to lead a five-candidate field and will face former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley, who received 30.2 percent, in a runoff. Dooley was backed by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who disappointed many in his party by opting not to challenge Ossoff himself.

Republicans want back the seat that Ossoff narrowly won in a January 2021 runoff against incumbent Republican Sen. David Perdue. Successfully defending Ossoff’s seat in November is considered critical to Democratic hopes of capturing a Senate majority.

Before the primary, the Cook Political Report rated the Georgia Senate race as “Lean Democratic” and “considered competitive in the general election.” The race is expected to draw more than $100 million in fundraising and spending.

Running unopposed, Ossoff nonetheless received 1.04 million votes in the Democratic primary, compared with nearly 912,000 votes combined for the five Republican hopefuls. Dooley ran strongest in metro Atlanta and nearby counties, while Collins’ strength was pronounced in central and southern Georgia.

A statement released by Ossoff’s campaign communications director Ellie Dougherty said: “After Brian Kemp’s crushing refusal to run for Senate, Trump puppets Collins and Dooley have made themselves terminally inseparable from the toxic president. Now the failed congressman who is only a congressman because his daddy was a congressman and the failed coach who was only a coach because his daddy was a coach limp into a monthlong race-to-the-bottom that will surely leave both broke and unelectable. Meanwhile, the juggernaut Ossoff campaign will continue building insurmountable momentum to win decisively in November.”

Jewish Democrat Adam Cleveland had the day off, in a manner of speaking, having no primary opposition in Georgia House District 48. He will face similarly unopposed Republican incumbent Rep. Chip Hilton in the general election.

Cleveland told the AJT: “Being unopposed in our primary, I’m fortunate to be able to carry our full resources toward flipping this seat in November. I’m thankful for the support and encouragement I’ve received from our Jewish community as I seek to become the second Jewish representative in the state House. As we now know Gov. Kemp’s plan to redistrict Georgia in the hope of securing unpopular wins in 2028, it’s all the more vital to vote out Republican incumbents this fall, to show both parties that our state demands gerrymandering be outlawed entirely.”