Kemp-appointed Georgia labor commissioner officially announces 2026 candidacy 

Gov. Brian Kemp swears in Bárbara Rivera Holmes as state labor commissioner during a ceremony at the Georgia State Capitol on Friday, April 4, 2025. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)

Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes has officially thrown her hat in the ring to run for a full term in office.

Holmes, who was previously the CEO of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, was tapped by Gov. Brian Kemp to lead the agency in April after former Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson died in November.

“I have a profound responsibility to serve the people of Georgia, and I look forward to working alongside them to ensure Georgia’s best and brightest days are ahead,” Holmes said in a statement Wednesday. “As Labor Commissioner, I will continue to lead the department to build trust, foster collaboration, expand workforce development, and empower small businesses and entrepreneurs across the state.”