by Ross Williams, Georgia Recorder, [This article first appeared in the Georgia Recorder, republished with permission]

December 23, 2025

A major figure in the Georgia Senate is out, and six candidates are hoping to earn their way in.

Former state Sen. John Kennedy, a Macon Republican who served as president pro tempore, the Senate’s second-in-command, stepped down this month to focus on a run for lieutenant governor.

Kennedy had represented his district, which includes Crawford, Monroe, Peach and Upson counties as well as parts of Bibb and Houston counties, since 2014. Five Republicans and one Democrat have signed up to face off to replace him, including a former GOP state representative, a recent small town mayor and an ex-Fort Valley city council member.

The winner will only serve for part of this year’s legislative session – the election is set for Jan. 20 with a runoff scheduled for Feb. 17, while lawmakers will gavel in Jan. 12 and likely wrap up around late March or early April. All members of the state Legislature will be up for re-election next November.

Here’s a look at the candidates hoping to become Georgia’s newest state senator, listed in alphabetical order.

Eugene Allison

Allison, a Republican and retired factory worker from Thomaston, is an outspoken proponent of strengthening domestic violence laws. He has spoken at City Council meetings on the topic and can sometimes be seen standing on the street holding signs criticizing officials for not doing enough to stop domestic violence.

Allison said he became interested in advocacy after learning that a loved one experienced domestic violence.

If elected, Allison said his top priority will be to increase penalties for domestic violence and related crimes like stalking.

“I’ve been talking to different victims, not just in District 18, but throughout Georgia, and their stories are about the same,” he said. “They got anger management classes, or they didn’t get locked up, police would only give them a warning instead of making the arrest, so that’s why domestic violence is a priority.”

He said he also wants to prioritize increasing school safety, including by hiring more law enforcement and installing metal detectors.

LeMario Brown

The sole Democrat in the race is LeMario Brown, a small business owner and farmer in Peach County who previously served on the Fort Valley City Council.

In a phone call, Brown said his priorities if elected will center around affordability.

“It’s about taking care of real people and real issues,” he said. “We’re talking about just common sense stuff, being able to feed your family, being able to be sustainable with this health care system we have now that I feel like (the Trump) administration put us in a bad spot in. That’s the story out here all over this district and all over the state of Georgia, a lot of rural hospitals are closing, a lot of people, they’re losing insurance because their premiums are going to be skyrocketing.”

Winning in the district as a Democrat will be a tough hill to climb. Kennedy won nearly two thirds of the vote in 2022, the last time he faced a Democratic challenger.

But, buoyed by wins and overperformances in recent elections, state Democratic leaders are putting their weight behind Brown. Figures including Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones and Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Charlie Bailey have visited the district to stump for Brown.

Lauren Daniel

Daniel, a Republican from Locust Grove, previously served in the state House, where she sat on committees including education and transportation. Daniel won her seat in 2022 and was defeated in the 2024 Republican primary by state Rep. Noelle Kahaian.

In an email, Daniel said she’s running on her conservative bona fides and her record in the House.

“I’m running because I believe Middle Georgia deserves a senator with conviction and experience to defend our conservative values from the radical left and end the California creep that’s coming into the state of Georgia,” she said. “I’m the best person for the job because I am the only one in this race who has stood with President Trump, I’ve already served in our legislature, and I have a proven record of being unapologetically conservative, while also being able to be effective.”

Among her top priorities if elected, Daniel listed reining in property taxes, improving the education system and boosting public safety.

Steven McNeel

McNeel, a Republican attorney from Bibb County, did not respond to requests for comment.

In campaign statements, McNeel pledged to uphold conservative values if elected, including by cutting taxes, promoting school vouchers and supporting the federal government’s efforts to deport undocumented migrants.

“As your State Senator, I will work diligently to protect our values, stand up for our farmers, and support policies that attract good jobs to Middle Georgia.”

Nathan Warnock

Warnock, a Republican from Bibb County, is a retiree whose career has included serving 15 years in the U.S. Army as well as working in the mortgage and insurance fields.

Warnock said in a phone call that he had been looking for ways to get involved in the community during his retirement, and the opening in the Senate seemed like a sign from above.

“I’ve always wanted to serve, and there’s just some things that I’d like to get done,” he said. “I’d like to see senior citizens be exempt from property taxes and from school taxes. I would like to have a bill passed that if any facility is caught selling alcohol or tobacco to minors, that they lose their license and ability to sell alcohol or tobacco for a minimum of five years, maximum of 10 years, and that that location, even if sold or transferred ownership, is not allowed to be able to sell alcohol or tobacco for that length of time.”

Warnock said he is not accepting campaign donations from anyone for the race so he won’t be beholden to anybody.

“If you’re the kind of person that wants to try to always root for the underdog, I’m your man,” he said. “This is a David and Goliath moment, and I really feel like this is God saying to do this.”

Eric Wilson

Republican Eric Wilson served as mayor of the city of Forsyth since 2016 before resigning to run for Kennedy’s seat. Before serving as mayor, Wilson was a member of the city council, and he is a co-founder and owner of a medical transportation company.

In a phone call, Wilson said those experiences help make him the best candidate for the job.

“I believe I’m the right person for the job because I’m uniquely qualified,” he said. “I have experience for 25 years as a business owner, meeting the payroll and taking care of my employees and taking care of our customers, and also I’ve spent the last 16 years in local government in a small town, serving as mayor for the last 10 years, and I think those experiences combined make me qualified to serve the citizens of District 18.”

Wilson said his top priorities if elected will include lowering costs with a focus on reducing property taxes and building on this year’s tort law legislation to lower insurance costs.

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jill Nolin for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com.