Mike Thurmond, former DeKalb County CEO, announced he is running for governor, saying he will fight high costs and protect health care for working families.
⏳ Catch Up Quick: Thurmond is no stranger to Georgia politics. He has served as a state legislator, Labor Commissioner, CEO of DeKalb County, and Superintendent of DeKalb County Schools, as well as head of the state’s family‑services agency. He has also written several books on Georgia history.
🔍 What’s Happening: Thurmond launched his campaign with a video called “Boots on Georgia Ground,” promising to travel to every county and listen to everyday Georgians.
📣 What It Means For You: If Thurmond wins, he says he will work to keep health‑care options open, lower the price of everyday goods, and push for more school programs that help kids get good jobs.
🧐 Between the Lines:
- He calls the current health‑care fight “extreme partisan attacks” and says Republicans want to cut care to give tax breaks to the very rich.
- He points to his past work in DeKalb, where he turned a $27 million deficit into a $140 million surplus and added $1.6 billion in property‑tax relief.
🌍 The Big Picture: Georgia’s next governor will decide how the state handles rising living costs, health‑care access, and school funding. Thurmond’s campaign promises to focus on “performance, not promises,” aiming to bring together rural, urban, and suburban voters under a single plan for growth.
🗳️ The Race: The 2026 Georgia governor’s race is already drawing a crowded field. On the Democratic side, Thurmond joins state Sen. Jason Esteves, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and state Rep. Derrick Jackson, while U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath has paused her campaign and Stacey Abrams has not ruled out a bid. Republicans in the race include Attorney General Chris Carr and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, with other high-profile names still weighing their options.
The Sources:
- Mike Thurmond campaign announcement
- Official campaign website, MikeThurmond.com
- Video “Boots on Georgia Ground”
- Georgia Sun Archives
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
