Georgia Once Again Has the Opportunity to Elect Nation's First Black Woman Governor

Primary elections were held on Tuesday in Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. In addition, Louisiana held its primary election for U.S. Senate on Saturday. Full results for women candidates in federal and statewide executive races are available on this post on our Election Analysis page; there are a number of undecided races featuring women candidates from yesterday's primaries, as well as women candidates who will compete in primary runoffs, so this post will be updated as those contests are decided.

Among the most notable results for women:
 

Alabama

• One (1D) woman won nomination for U.S. House and will challenge an incumbent in a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report. Just three of Alabama's seven congressional districts held primary elections this week; the remaining four have been postponed for redistricting. Incumbent U.S. Representative Terri Sewell (D) is expected to run in one of the postponed primaries. 
• Women are 4 of 14 (28.6%) major-party nominees for statewide elective executive office in Alabama, including 3 of 9 (33.3%) Democrats and 1 of 5 (20%) Republicans. In addition, 2 (2R) women have advanced to runoff primary elections on June 16 for commissioner of agriculture and attorney general. 
   

Georgia

• Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) won the Democratic nomination for governor in Georgia’s open-seat contest, which is currently rated as a toss up by Cook Political Report. If successful, Bottoms would be the first Black woman governor in U.S. history and the first woman governor of Georgia.
• Women are 5 of 9 (55.5%) major-party nominees for statewide elective executive office (including governor) in Georgia, including 4 of 5 (80%) Democrats and 1 of 4 (25%) Republicans. In addition, 6 (6D) women have advanced to runoff primary elections on June 16 for lieutenant governor, insurance commissioner, labor commissioner, and secretary of state; a woman is assured to win the Democratic nomination for both labor commissioner and secretary of state. Three (1D, 2R) women candidates are in primary contests that are too close to call for superintendent of public instruction. 
• Women are 6 of 24 (25%) major-party nominees for U.S. House in Georgia, including 6 of 11 (54.5%) Democrats and 0 of 13 (0%) Republicans. In addition, 4 (4D) women have advanced to runoff primary elections on June 16 in Georgia’s 1st and 12th Congressional Districts. Both (2D) incumbent women representatives are favored to win re-election in November, and Democratic nominee Jasmine Clark (D) is strongly favored to win an open-seat contest in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District.
   

Idaho

• Women are 2 of 4 (50%) major-party nominees for U.S. House in Idaho; both are Democrats. Both women nominees are challengers in contests currently favoring their incumbent opponents. No woman has served in Congress from Idaho since 2001.
• Women are 5 of 14 (35.7%) major-party nominees for statewide elective executive office in Idaho, including 3 of 7 (42.9%) Democrats and 2 of 7 (28.6%) Republicans. Terri Pickens (D) won the Democratic nomination for governor. She will challenge incumbent Governor Brad Little (R) in a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report. No woman has served as governor of Idaho.
   

Kentucky

• All 4 (2D, 2R) women candidates for U.S. Senate in Kentucky were unsuccessful. No woman has served in the U.S. Senate from Kentucky.
• Women are 3 of 12 (25%) major-party nominees for U.S. House in Kentucky, including 2 of 6 (33.3%) Democrats and 1 of 6 (16.7%) Republicans. All 3 (2D, 1R) women nominees are challengers in contests currently favoring their incumbent opponents. No woman has served in Congress from Kentucky since 2007, and no Democratic woman has ever served in Congress from Kentucky.
   

Louisiana

• Women are 1 of 3 (33.3%) major-party candidates that have advanced to runoff primary elections for U.S. Senate in Louisiana. Current U.S. Representative Julia Letlow (R) has advanced to the Republican primary runoff election. The general election contest is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
• Elections for U.S. House in Louisiana have been postponed for redistricting.
   

Oregon

• Two (2R) women candidates are in the Republican primary contest for U.S. Senate that remains too close to call. The Republican nominee will challenge incumbent Senator Jeff Merkley (D) in a contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
• Women are 8 of 12 (66.7%) major-party nominees for U.S. House in Oregon, including 5 of 6 (83.3%) Democrats and 3 of 6 (50%) Republicans. All 5 (5D) incumbent women representatives are favored to win re-election, and all 3 (3R) women challengers are running in contests that favor their incumbent opponents. All-woman general election contests will be held in Oregon’s 1st, 4th, and 5th congressional districts. Find out more about congressional and gubernatorial races where both major-party candidates are women, in 2026 and historically, here.
• Both major-party nominees for governor of Oregon are women in a rematch of the 2022 gubernatorial contest between Governor Tina Kotek (D) and state Senator Christine Drazan (R). Kotek defeated Drazan by about three points in 2022, when a third-party candidate earned 8.6% of votes. This contest is currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
• Incumbent Labor Commissioner Christina Stephenson (NP) won re-election by earning over 50% of the primary election vote.
   

Pennsylvania

• Women are 11 of 33 (33.3%) major-party nominees for U.S. House in Pennsylvania, including 9 of 17 (52.9%) Democrats and 2 of 16 (12.5%) Republicans. All 4 (4D) incumbent women representatives are favored to win re-election. In addition, 2 (2D) Democratic women nominees – Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti (PA-08) and Janelle Stelson (PA-10) – are challengers in general election contests currently rated as toss ups.
• Incumbent Treasurer Stacy Garrity (R) won the Republican nomination for governor of Pennsylvania. She will challenge Governor Josh Shapiro (D) in a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report. Because her current term as treasurer does not end until 2029, she could maintain her current role if unsuccessful in her bid for governor.

For more information, see the full analysis of how women fared in yesterday's contests on our Election Analysis page. Complete context about women in the 2026 elections can be found on CAWP's Election Watch.