Democrats and Republicans who are hoping to become their respective party's nominees are entering their final weekend of campaigning in Georgia's nationally watched primaries.
Seven Republicans and two Democrats are seeking to become Georgia's next governor after Nathan Deal's two terms in office, while two Democrats and three Republicans are hoping to become the state's first new lieutenant governor in over a decade.
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle is leading his GOP opponents in the governor's race in a new, exclusive 11Alive poll, with 35 percent of the vote. Cagle is conducting a statewide fly around on Monday, one day before the primary.
Cagle's closest competitor, Brian Kemp, is the keynote speaker at the Cherokee GOP breakfast on Saturday, and is participating in a televised debate on Sunday.
Kemp is also rallying with supporters in seven cities on Monday as part of a fly around beginning in Atlanta and stopping in Macon, Columbus, Albany, Savannah, Augusta, and Kennesaw.
Another GOP gubernatorial candidate, Hunter Hill, is holding a cookout in Canton on Saturday; hosting a phonebank in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon; and another phonebank on Monday afternoon.
Clay Tippins, a former Navy SEAL who's also running for governor, will be in Marietta on Saturday.
Democrat Stacey Abrams is leading Stacey Evans in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, 43 percent to 24 percent, but with 33 percent undecided.
Abrams is holding early voting rallies on Friday in Augusta, Sparta, Milledgeville and Atlanta; and a rally in Atlanta on Saturday with several progressive organizations.
Republicans David Shafer, Rick Jeffares and Geoff Duncan, and Democrats Sarah Riggs Amico and Triana Arnold James are running for lieutenant governor.
Another open race -- this one, to replace Kemp for secretary of state -- has drawn four Republicans and three Democrats. On the GOP side are Brad Raffensberger, Buzz Brockway, David Belle Isle and Josh McKoon. Democrats are former U.S. Rep. John Barrow, Dee Hawkins-Haigler and Rakeim Hadley
In metro Atlanta's congressional races:
► In the 6th district, Democrats Kevin Abel, Bobby Kaple, Lucy McBath and Steven Knight Griffin are all running for the right to face incumbent Republican Karen Handel.
► In the 4th district, incumbent Democrat Hank Johnson drew primary opposition from Juan Parks, while two Republicans are hoping to unseat Johnson: Joe Profit and Melanie Williams.
► This year’s most crowded congressional race is where U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall (R-7) is facing eight challengers from his Gwinnett and Forsyth county district, including from Shane Hazel from within his own party. Six Democrats are running as well: Carolyn Bourdeaux, David Kim, Ethan Pham, Kathleen Allen, Melissa Davis and Steve Reilly.
► U.S. Rep. Jody Hice (R-10) made headlines recently when Facebook announced it was locating its new data center in his district, Social Circle, to be exact. That didn’t stop Hice from drawing two challengers from within his own party – Bradley Griffin and Joe Hunt – along with three Democrats: Chalis Montgomery, Richard Dien Winfield and Tabitha Johnson-Green.
