The Georgia state Capitol was bustling on Monday, but not because of the usual business of lawmaking.
Instead, big names in politics trickled in and out of the Capitol building, some having travelled hours to face a long line to ensure their names appear on the ballot for the upcoming November elections. Among those who qualified on Monday are Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is running for reelection, and several sitting members of Congress, including one of Ossoff’s Republican opponents, U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter.
Some candidates running for the state’s highest office also showed up Monday for the first day of candidate qualifying. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and former state Sen. Jason Esteves, who are both Democrats, and Republican state Attorney General Chris Carr all qualified to run for Georgia’s open race for governor.
“This is what democracy looks like,” said House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley, a Columbus Democrat, about the long line of candidates waiting to qualify.
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