According to Decision Desk HQ, Republican Wayne Johnson, a former senior Trump administration official, won the Republican primary runoff election for the Georgia House of Representatives, defeating a candidate who was convicted of a misdemeanor crime related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Johnson defeated Chuck Hand for the Republican nomination in the race for Democratic Rep. Sanford Bishop’s seat in the Peach State’s 2nd Congressional District.
Johnson won the most votes in last month’s primary but fell short of the majority needed to avoid a runoff, with 45% support. Johnson was leading the race on Tuesday, but Hand’s endorsement was seen as a signal by some Republicans that they are ready to welcome back a man convicted of the Jan. 6 riot to Congress more than three years after the insurrection.
handPlead guiltyHe was charged with unlawful demonstrations on Capitol grounds in 2022 and sentenced to 20 days in jail, according to Justice Department documents.
WayneofferedDuring the Trump administration, he served as chief strategy and transformation officer and chief operating officer for the Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid. Chris West, who will be the Republican candidate for Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District in 2022,approvedA week before the runoff election, Johnson praised Donald Trump as the best candidate to help return him to the White House.
The election came as former President Donald Trump praised the “J6 warriors” during his campaign, and political commentators say Mr Trump, who has dismissed his legal battles as politically motivated, has paved the way for voters to ignore the Jan. 6 conviction.
But Johnson won Tuesday’s runoff election and will now face off against Bishop, a 16-term incumbent in the long-Democrat-dominated district, in November.
