Democrat Carol Porter won her party's nomination Tuesday for the right to challenge Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle of Hall County for the state's No. 2 job in November.
Porter, the wife of House Minority Leader and gubernatorial hopeful DuBose Porter, has run her husband's political campaigns for 26 years and decided this year to run herself for the first time. She led political newcomer Trish McCracken of Augusta with about 70 percent of the vote.
In November she'll face Cagle, who had no GOP opposition and breezed to the November election with more than $800,000 in his campaign coffers.
"The lieutenant governor is running on a record of accomplishment and will keep moving forward with that for the fall," said Ryan Cassin, Cagle's campaign manager. "We're facing a tough budget, and he'll keep working to make sure we're cutting waste."
Cagle is "excited" and looking forward to the fall campaign, Cassin said.
Cagle became the state's first GOP lieutenant governor in 2006 and was an early front-runner for the governor's race before he decided to run for re-election instead.
In other statewide races, former prosecutor Ken Hodges scored a resounding victory over rival state Rep. Rob Teilhet Tuesday in the battle for the Democratic nomination for the state's first open attorney general's race in more than 60 years.
Hodges will face the winner of a three-way Republican primary in November. Cobb County Commission chair Sam Olens was leading state Sen. Preston Smith and ex-U.S. Attorney Max Wood. The top two vote-getters will go to an Aug. 10 runoff.
The state's top education post attracted two Republicans and three Democrats who competed for spots in the general election. Democrat Joe Martin, a longtime Atlanta school board member, led former Beth Farokhi and Brian Westlake.
On the Republican side, John Barge and Richard Woods competed for the GOP nomination. Barge, a former Chestatee High principal, opened a narrow lead.
Two names not on the ballot are Kathy Cox, who resigned as superintendent in May for a job in the private sector, and interim Superintendent Brad Bryant, who was appointed by Gov. Sonny Perdue.
Secretary of State Brian Kemp earned the Republican nod as he sought to defend his seat for the first time since being appointed by Perdue in January after Karen Handel resigned to run for governor. Kemp, a former state senator, led former Sandy Springs Councilman Doug MacGinnitie.
State Sen. Gail Buckner, who led the crowded Democratic field, is advancing to an Aug. 10 runoff. State Rep. Georganna Sinkfield of Atlanta clung to second place.