Former Democratic SoS candidates endorse one-time rival in Georgia

All three of the Democratic candidates for secretary of state who didn’t make it into a runoff to be the party’s nominee have fallen in line behind a single former rival.

The campaign of former state Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler on Wednesday announced the endorsements of John Eaves, former Fulton County Board of Commissioners chairman; Floyd Griffin, former Milledgeville mayor and state senator; and Michael Owens, former Cobb County Democratic Party chairman.

Dawkins-Haigler and state Rep. Bee Nguyen advanced to a June 21 runoff after last week’s primary election, in which Nguyen won about 44% of the vote and Dawkins-Haigler took nearly 19%. The winner will face Republican incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and libertarian Ted Metz in the November general election.

“I stand here poised as the most qualified in this race now in the runoff with proven leadership, ready to execute the duties on Day 1 because this position is one that requires expertise in many areas, and I am that person,” Dawkins-Haigler said during a news conference Wednesday at the state Capitol.

Her campaign also announced the endorsements of state Rep. Billy Mitchell, who’s state House Democratic Caucus chair and president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, as well as Rep. Sandra Scott, Rep. Doreen Carter and former state Rep. Georganna Sinkfield. Carter was the 2014 Democratic nominee for secretary of state and Sinkfield was the party’s 2010 nominee.

Dawkins-Haigler served in the state House from June 2008 to January 2017.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams last week announced her endorsement of Nguyen, who occupies the state House seat previously held by Abrams.