Physician John Cowan and Rob Adkerson, the chief of staff to retiring Republican Georgia Rep. Barry Loudermilk, will face off June 16 in a Republican runoff for Georgia’s 11th Congressional District after Cowan led a crowded primary field but fell short of the majority needed to win outright.
Cowan finished first with 34,142 votes, or 42.6%, while Adkerson took second with 17,405 votes, or 21.7%. Former Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tricia Pridemore placed third with 15,194 votes, or 19%, ending her bid for the GOP nomination.
Georgia sends the top two candidates to a runoff when no one receives more than 50% of the vote in the May primary. The state’s general primary runoff election day is June 16.
The open-seat race began after Loudermilk announced he would not seek reelection after serving in Congress since 2015. His 11th District sits northwest of Atlanta and includes all of Bartow, Gordon and Pickens counties, as well as parts of Cherokee and Cobb counties.
Adkerson entered the race with the outgoing congressman’s backing, while Cowan, a Cartersville neurosurgeon, campaigned after previously running for Congress in 2020. The Republican primary unfolded without an endorsement from President Donald Trump, even as the race centered heavily on Trump and his policies.
The runoff is likely to draw attention from Republicans looking to hold a safe seat in a year when several Georgia congressional districts are open. The Cook Political Report rates the race “Solid R” and gives the district an R+12 partisan voting index.
The Republican nominee will face Democratic nominee Chris Harden in November. Harden won the Democratic primary with 39,174 votes, or 74.8%, over Barry Wolfert.
