There are at least eight openly gay candidates running for seats in the Georgia General Assembly — four incumbents and five hopefuls.

Only Georgia’s first openly gay state legislator, state Rep. Karla Drenner, is unopposed, guaranteeing that there will be one out gay voice under the Gold Dome when the new legislative session starts in January.

The General Assembly’s three other openly gay incumbents — state Reps. Simone Bell, Rashad Taylor and Keisha Waites — all face opposition in the Democratic primary.

Thanks to redistricting, Bell and Taylor’s races are particularly hard, as they face fellow Democratic incumbents who have been supportive of LGBT issues. The decision is so difficult between Taylor and state Rep. Pat Gardner, a longtime LGBT ally, that gay political group Georgia Equality chose to sit the race out, believing that both would be equally strong on LGBT rights.

Of the openly gay candidates hoping to join the LGBT caucus in the state legislature, political advocate Ken Britt is the best known and best funded. He too is locked in battle with a politician who has supported LGBT rights, “Able” Mable Thomas.

Gay veteran William Phelps faces an uphill battle in the Democratic primary against LGBT-friendly incumbent Rep. Margaret Kaiser, who was endorsed by Georgia Equality.

Two other openly gay hopefuls — state House District 101 candidate Tim Swiney in Gwinnett County and Senate District 47 candidate Tim Riley in Athens — are unopposed in the Democratic Primary but face Republican opposition in November.

Georgia Equality, the state's largest LGBT political group, and the gay Atlanta Stonewall Democrats have issued endorsements for the July 31 primary election.

Georgia Equality 2012 Primary Endorsements

www.georgiaequality.org

General Assembly: Democratic Primary

HD 39 - Alisha Thomas Morgan
HD 41 – Justin O’Dell
HD 53 – Sheila Jones
HD 56 – Ken Britt
HD
58 – Simone Bell
HD
59 – Margaret Kaiser
HD 60 – Keisha Waites
HD 85 – Karla Drenner
HD 62 – Marvin Arrington, Jr
HD 63 – TJ Copeland
HD 76 – Sandra Scott
HD 93 – Dar’shun Kendrick
HD 105 – Renita Hamilton
HD 113 – Pam Dickerson
HD 118 – Spencer Frye
HD 139 – Michael Dinkins
SD 44 – Gail Buckner

General Assembly: Republican Primary

HD 97 – Robert McClure

Non-Partisan Races


Fulton County State Court – Jane Morrison

Fulton County Superior Court – Clarence Johnson

Fulton County Solicitor – Teri Walker

DeKalb State Court – Dax Lopez

Ogeechee Circuit District Attorney – Richard Mallard
Rockdale Superior Court – Gary Washington

Atlanta Stonewall Democrats Primary Endorsements

www.atlantastonewall.org

General Assembly

HD 39 — Alisha Thomas Morgan
HD 41 — Diana Eckles
HD 53 — Sheila Jones
HD 56 — Ken Britt
HD 57 — Pat Gardner
HD 58 — Simone Bell
HD 59 — Margaret Kaiser
HD 60 — Keisha Waites
HD 62 — Marvin Arrington Jr.
HD 63 — TJ Copeland
HD 92 — Doreen Williams
HD 93 — Dar'shun Kendrick
HD 94 — Jaye Lynn Peabody
HD 105 — Renita Hamilton

SD 44 — Gail Davenport

Judicial Endorsements

Clarence Johnson — Fulton Superior Court
Jane Morrison — State Court Fulton County