Who's In the Race

Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA) faces Republican Matt Day in the Nov. 3 general election in Georgia's 2nd District. The race also includes candidates from other parties on the general election ballot. Georgia requires a runoff if no candidate receives a majority in the general election, under Georgia Code § 21-2-501. ​

Bishop, who represents Georgia's 2nd District, was first elected to Congress in 1992. Before that, he served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1977 to 1990 and in the Georgia Senate from 1991 to 1992. He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary on May 19, receiving all 72,452 votes cast.

Day is a Douglas, Georgia, business owner, according to his campaign, which says he is running to promote manufacturing, address poverty and expand economic opportunity. Day also ran unopposed in the Republican primary on May 19, receiving all 42,617 votes cast.

What They Stand For

Bishop has supported policies aimed at helping farmers, ranchers and other producers prosper, according to his official House website. He's also supported:

  • Expanding access to health care, including through rural development programs,
  • Legislation to prevent foreclosures, stop predatory mortgage practices and increase affordable housing; and
  • Military pay increases and improvements to military housing and facilities.

Day says the country should invest in national wildlife refuges and opposes United Nations oversight of the Okefenokee, according to his campaign website. He's also supported:

  • Protecting Georgia's timber industry from European Union involvement,
  • Independent pharmacies; and
  • Tougher immigration enforcement while allowing undocumented immigrants a path to legal work visas, according to the Houston Home Journal.

The Money Behind the Race

Bishop raised about $1.1 million through June 30 and had about $448,000 in the bank, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Day raised about $206,000 through June 30 and had about $1,800 in cash on hand; he carried about $50,000 in debt, according to FEC filings.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

The Cook Political Report rated the race "Solid Democratic" as of Oct. 9; Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it "Solid Democratic" as of Oct. 11; and Inside Elections rated it "Solid Democratic" as of Oct. 2. Kalshi traders gave Democrats a 96.09 percent chance of winning as of Oct. 13.

Bishop won the 2022 race with about 55 percent of the vote and the 2024 race with about 56 percent. Republicans held nine of Georgia's 14 U.S. House seats after both the 2022 and 2024 elections, with Democrats holding five. Donald Trump carried Georgia in the 2024 presidential election with about 51 percent of the vote.

The voter-registration deadline was Monday, Oct. 5. The deadline to apply for a mail ballot is Friday, Oct. 23, according to the Georgia Secretary of State. Early voting runs Tuesday, Oct. 13 through Friday, Oct. 30, typically from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, though hours can vary and no single statewide schedule is specified, according to Georgia.gov. On Election Day, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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