Brad Raffensperger in McDonough, Ga. on July 29, 2020. Photo: Dustin Chambers/Bloomberg via Getty
Republican incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger won re-election, after challenger Democratic state Rep. Bee Nguyen announced she had conceded the race.
Catch up quick: Raffensperger appears to have been rewarded by Democratic and independent voters after his high-profile refusal to assist former President Trump’s effort to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election.
- The former state House member and engineering company executive won a 2018 runoff to take the seat.
Yes, but: At the same time, Raffensperger campaigned on Georgia's controversial new election law that restricted the number of drop boxes and tightened absentee ballot rules.
- He also has highlighted his pushback on voter suppression claims by Democrats.
The other side: Nguyen, a state lawmaker since 2017 and rising Democratic star, defeated four other candidates in the May primary.
- She aggressively raised money and hammered Raffensperger as an anti-abortion rights candidate and a supporter of the state's 2021 controversial voting law.
Backdrop: The secretary of state oversees elections in Georgia, occupational oversight boards and business licensing.
What they're saying: Nguyen said in a tweet that she called Raffensperger to both concede and congratulate him on winning a second term.
- "I'm grateful to be in a race where we can have a phone call & wish each other well," she said.