ATLANTA (AP) – Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who was a top target of former President Donald Trump, has won the Republican primary as he seeks reelection.
Raffensperger beat three challengers, including Trump-endorsed U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, who had criticized his handling of the 2020 election. It was not immediately clear which Democrat he would face in November.
“What I have found is that every Georgian wants safe and secure elections with the right balance of accessibility with security. That’s where Georgia voting is today,” Raffensperger told reporters late Tuesday after declaring victory.
Raffensperger was among Trump’s chief targets when the former president turned his wrath on top Georgia officials for not taking steps to overturn his narrow election loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the state. Trump insisted without proof that victory had been stolen from him through widespread voter fraud.
In a now-notorious January 2021 phone call, Trump suggested Raffensperger could “find” enough votes to overturn President Biden’s victory. That led a prosecutor in Atlanta to open an investigation into whether Trump and others tried to illegally influence the state’s election. That investigation is ongoing.