ATLANTA — Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced Sept. 17, 2025, that he will run for governor, moving from the office that made him a central figure in post-2020 election disputes into a statewide contest for the state's top executive post, according to an Associated Press report published by ABC News.
Raffensperger, a Republican, rose to national prominence during and after the 2020 presidential election when he resisted efforts to overturn Georgia's results, a stance that put him at odds with then-President Donald Trump and drew intense public scrutiny. As secretary of state, Raffensperger has overseen the state's election administration, a role that came under extraordinary pressure following the 2020 vote.
His announcement marks a shift from election administrator to candidate for governor at a moment when election integrity and voting rules remain potent political issues in Georgia and nationally. Raffensperger’s decision to run follows a period in which his handling of the 2020 election produced both praise from supporters of certified results and criticism from allies of Trump who disputed the outcome.
The move injects a high-profile name into the Republican field for governor and brings the controversies and visibility of his tenure as secretary of state into the campaign arena. Raffensperger’s tenure and his public responses to the post-2020 pressure campaign shaped his public image and are likely to be focal points as he seeks support from Republican primary voters as well as the broader electorate.
Raffensperger did not immediately release a detailed policy platform tied to the announcement, and his campaign timetable for a formal launch, fundraising plans and outreach was not detailed in the initial report. He will be running in a state that has been politically competitive in recent presidential and federal contests and where debates about election administration and voting policy remain salient.
Political analysts and party officials have in past election cycles viewed Georgia as a bellwether for broader trends in national politics; the entry of a secretary of state who became a national figure during the 2020 dispute may alter dynamics inside the Republican primary and in the general election. Raffensperger’s candidacy is likely to prompt scrutiny of his record as secretary of state as well as his positions on issues that typically define gubernatorial contests, including the state economy, education, public safety and election law.
Further details about Raffensperger’s campaign team, policy priorities and schedule are expected to emerge in the coming days and weeks as he begins the transition from statewide official to gubernatorial candidate.