A recount in the July 22 Republican primary runoff for the state superintendent’s job in Georgia wrapped up last week, and Richard Woods maintained the slim advantage he had taken over Michael Buck.
Woods, who was certified as the GOP candidate by the Georgia secretary of state’s office on July 31, has built his candidacy around opposition to the Common Core State Standards. Buck, who served as a deputy superintendent to current Superintendent John Barge, defended the state’s decision to adopt and implement the standards during his candidacy. But Woods won out in the end.
Woods, a former teacher and administrator, will face Democrat Valarie Wilson in the Nov. 4 general election. Wilson beat out state Rep. Alisha Morgan in the Democratic runoff, also held July 22. (The initial primaries were in May for both parties.)
I wrote about the dynamics of the Democratic race before the July 22 runoff. Wilson, the winner, could receive a down-ballot boost if Jason Carter and Michelle Nunn, the Democratic candidates for governor and U.S. senator, respectively, perform well Nov. 4.
Georgia is the second-largest state by population to feature a race for state superintendent this year, with California at the top. Other states holding state superintendent’s races this year are Arizona, Idaho, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wyoming. The latter has a primary election coming up Aug. 19, while the Arizona primary is Aug. 26.