2014 Georgia gubernatorial election explained

See also: 2014 Georgia elections.

Election Name:	2014 Georgia gubernatorial election
Country:	Georgia (U.S. state)
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Turnout:	42.25%
Previous Election:	2010 Georgia gubernatorial election
Previous Year:	2010
Next Election:	2018 Georgia gubernatorial election
Next Year:	2018
Election Date:	November 4, 2014
Image1:	File:Nathan Deal, April 25, 2017 (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:	Nathan Deal
Party1:	Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:	1,345,237
Percentage1:	52.74%
Nominee2:	Jason Carter
Party2:	Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:	1,144,794
Percentage2:	44.88%
Map Size:	250px
Governor
Before Election:	Nathan Deal
Before Party:	Republican Party (United States)
After Election:	Nathan Deal
After Party:	Republican Party (United States)

The 2014 Georgia gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor of Georgia, concurrently with the election to Georgia's Class II U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

Incumbent Republican Governor Nathan Deal was re-elected to serve a second term in office by a margin of 7.8%. He turned back two primary challengers and in the general election, defeated Democratic State Senator Jason Carter and Libertarian nominee businessman and engineer Andrew Hunt, who were unopposed in their respective primaries. As of 2022, this is the last time that Cobb and Gwinnett counties voted for the Republican candidate for governor and the last time that Burke, Chattahoochee, Dooly, Quitman, Twiggs, Washington, and Wilkinson counties voted for the Democratic candidate.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• John Barge, State School Superintendent^[1]
• Nathan Deal, incumbent Governor
• David Pennington, Mayor of Dalton^[2]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	class=small	Margin of error	Nathan Deal	John Barge	David Pennington	Undecided
InsiderAdvantage	May 18, 2014	852	±3.36%	align=center	62.1%	5.1%	9.9%	22.9%
SurveyUSA	May 8–12, 2014	634	± 4%	align=center	63%	10%	15%	12%
SurveyUSA	April 24–27, 2014	501	± 4.3%	align=center	64%	10%	11%	16%
InsiderAdvantage	April 13–15, 2014	804	±3.4%	align=center	61%	4%	7%	28%
Landmark/Rosetta	March 23–24, 2014	600	± 4%	align=center	58%	8%	7%	27%
SurveyUSA	March 16–18, 2014	508	± 4.2%	align=center	65%	7%	11%	17%
Public Policy Polling	align=center rowspan=2	August 2–5, 2013	align=center rowspan=2	260	align=center rowspan=2	± 6.1%	align=center	71%	8%	—	21%
	align=center	71%	—	11%	19%
20/20 Insight, LLC	May 7–9, 2013	?	± ?	align=center	53%	—	18%	29%

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Jason Carter, state senator and grandson of former U.S. president and former governor Jimmy Carter^[3]

Withdrew

• Connie Stokes, former DeKalb County Commissioner, former state senator and candidate for GA-04 in 2004 and 2010 (running for Lieutenant Governor)^[4]

Declined

• Stacey Abrams, Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives^[5]
• Roy Barnes, former governor and nominee for governor in 2010
• Shirley Franklin, former mayor of Atlanta^[6]
• Scott Holcomb, state representative^{[7] [8]}
• Kasim Reed, Mayor of Atlanta^[9]

Results

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Declared

• Andrew Hunt, businessman and engineer^[10]

General election

Debates

• Complete video of debate, October 19, 2014 - C-SPAN
• Complete video of debate, October 26, 2014 - C-SPAN

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	The Cook Political Report^[11]		November 3, 2014
align=left	Sabato's Crystal Ball^[12]		November 3, 2014
align=left	Rothenberg Political Report^[13]		November 3, 2014
align=left	Real Clear Politics^[14]		November 3, 2014

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	class=small	Margin of error	Nathan Deal (R)	Jason Carter (D)	Andrew Hunt (L)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	align=center rowspan=2	November 1–3, 2014	align=center rowspan=2	975	align=center rowspan=2	± 3.1%	align=center	47%	43%	4%	—	6%
	align=center	49%	45%	—	—	6%
Landmark Communications	November 2, 2014	1,500	± 2.5%	align=center	51%	45%	3%	—	2%
Insider Advantage	November 2, 2014	1,463	± 3%	align=center	47%	44%	5%	—	4%
SurveyUSA	October 30 – November 2, 2014	591	± 4.1%	align=center	47%	42%	5%	—	5%
YouGov	October 25–31, 2014	1,743	± 3.2%	align=center	45%	41%	1%	1%	12%
NBC News/Marist	align=center rowspan=2	October 26–30, 2014	603 LV	± 4%	align=center	48%	43%	3%	1%	5%
	875 RV	± 3.3%	align=center	46%	42%	4%	1%	7%
Landmark Communications	October 29, 2014	1,500	± 2.5%	align=center	48%	46%	4%	—	3%
Vox Populi Polling	October 28, 2014	602	± 4%	align=center	49%	42%	3%	—	7%
Monmouth	October 26–28, 2014	436	± 4.7%	align=center	48%	42%	5%	—	5%
Rasmussen Reports	October 25–27, 2014	977	± 3%	align=center	49%	43%	—	2%	6%
SurveyUSA	October 24–27, 2014	611	± 4%	align=center	46%	44%	3%	—	6%
Public Policy Polling	October 23–24, 2014	771	± ?%	align=center	48%	45%	4%	—	3%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov	October 16–23, 2014	1,774	± 4%	align=center	47%	43%	2%	0%	8%
Atlanta Journal-Constitution	October 16–23, 2014	1,170	± 3.6%	align=center	46%	41%	6%	—	7%
Insider Advantage	October 21–22, 2014	704	± 3.7%	44%	44%	5%	—	8%
CNN/ORC International	October 19–22, 2014	565	± 4%	46%	align=center	48%	6%	—	—
Landmark Communications	October 20–21, 2014	1,000	± 2.75%	align=center	48%	45%	5%	—	2%
SurveyUSA	October 17–20, 2014	606	± 4.1%	align=center	45%	43%	4%	—	8%
GaPundit.com	October 13–14, 2014	1,543	± 2.49%	44%	44%	6%	—	5%
SurveyUSA	October 10–13, 2014	563	± 4.2%	46%	46%	4%	—	4%
Landmark Communications	October 7–9, 2014	1,000	± 3.1%	45%	45%	5%	—	5%
SurveyUSA	October 2–6, 2014	566	± 4.2%	align=center	46%	44%	4%	—	7%
Public Policy Polling	align=center rowspan=2	October 2–5, 2014	align=center rowspan=2	895	align=center rowspan=2	± 3.3%	align=center	46%	41%	4%	—	9%
	align=center	50%	45%	—	—	5%
Hickman Analytics	September 26 – October 5, 2014	500	± 4.4%	align=center	44%	36%	9%	—	13%
Rasmussen Reports	September 30 – October 1, 2014	1,000	± 4%	align=center	49%	43%	—	2%	6%
Insider Advantage	September 29 – October 1, 2014	947	± 3.2%	align=center	44%	43%	4%	—	9%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov	September 20 – October 1, 2014	1,851	± 3%	align=center	48%	43%	1%	0%	7%
SurveyUSA	September 19–22, 2014	550	± 4.3%	44%	align=center	45%	4%	—	7%
Rasmussen Reports	September 15–16, 2014	750	± 4%	align=center	45%	44%	—	3%	8%
Insider Advantage	September 10–11, 2014	1,167	± 2.9%	align=center	44%	40%	7%	—	9%
Landmark Communications	September 9–11, 2014	1,109	± 2.9%	44%	align=center	47%	4%	—	5%
Atlanta Journal-Constitution	September 8–11, 2014	884	± 4%	align=center	43%	42%	7%	—	8%
SurveyUSA	September 5–8, 2014	558	± 4.2%	align=center	45%	44%	4%	—	6%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov	August 18 – September 2, 2014	1,900	± 3%	align=center	47%	39%	4%	1%	9%
GaPundit.com	August 24–25, 2014	1,578	± 2.47%	align=center	44%	42%	7%	—	8%
Landmark Communications	August 20–21, 2014	600	± 4%	40%	align=center	44%	—	—	16%
SurveyUSA	August 14–17, 2014	560	± 4.2%	align=center	48%	39%	4%	—	8%
InsiderAdvantage	August 12–13, 2014	719	± 3.7%	align=center	43%	39%	7%	—	11%
Hicks Evaluation Group	August 8–10, 2014	788	± 3.48%	45%	45%	—	—	9%
Landmark Communications	July 25, 2014	750	± 3.8%	40%	align=center	47%	5%	—	9%
Rasmussen Reports	July 23–24, 2014	750	± 4%	44%	align=center	45%	—	3%	8%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov	July 5–24, 2014	2,568	± 3.4%	align=center	50%	41%	—	1%	8%
Landmark Communications	July 15, 2014	750	± 4	41%	align=center	49%	4%	—	6%
Public Policy Polling	July 11–13, 2014	664	± ?	align=center	41%	40%	8%	—	11%
Insider Advantage	June 24–25, 2014	1,349	± 2.7%	align=center	47%	40%	—	3%	10%
SurveyUSA	June 3–5, 2014	999	± 3.2%	align=center	44%	38%	7%	—	11%
Rasmussen Reports	May 21–22, 2014	750	± 4%	41%	align=center	48%	—	3%	7%
Public Policy Polling	May 21–22, 2014	803	± ?%	43%	43%	7%	—	7%
SurveyUSA	May 8–12, 2014	1,380	± 2.7%	align=center	43%	37%	7%	—	14%
Atlanta Journal-Constitution	May 5–8, 2014	1,012	± 4%	align=center	48%	44%	—	—	8%
Saint Leo	May 5–6, 2014	1,000	± 3%	align=center	38%	35%	11%	—	16%
NBC News/Marist	April 30 – May 5, 2014	2,196	± 2.1%	align=center	50%	40%	—	1%	10%
SurveyUSA	April 24–27, 2014	1,567	± 2.5%	align=center	41%	37%	9%	—	13%
Public Policy Polling	April 1–3, 2014	628	± 4%	42%	align=center	43%	—	—	15%
Landmark/Rosetta Stone	March 30, 2014	575	± 4%	align=center	43%	39%	—	—	18%
Insider Advantage	March 13, 2014	486	± 4.3%	38%	align=center	41%	—	—	21%
Public Policy Polling	February 19–20, 2014	833	± 4%	align=center	45%	42%	—	—	12%
Atlanta Journal-Constitution	January 6–9, 2014	802	± 4%	align=center	47%	38%	—	—	15%
Insider Advantage	January 6, 2014	529	± 4.6%	align=center	44%	22%	—	—	34%
Anzalone Liszt Grove	October 14–20, 2013	600	± 4%	align=center	44%	36%	—	—	20%
Public Policy Polling	October 7–8, 2013	602	± 4.1%	align=center	44%	40%	—	—	16%
Public Policy Polling	August 2–5, 2013	520	± 4.3%	align=center	48%	33%	—	—	19%
20/20 Insight, LLC	May 7–9, 2013	1,483	± 2.5%	42%	align=center	45%	—	—	13%
Public Policy Polling	February 15–18, 2013	602	± 4%	align=center	46%	38%	—	—	16%
Public Policy Polling	November 30–December 2, 2012	729	± 3.6%	align=center	46%	38%	—	—	17%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	Margin of error	Nathan Deal (R)	Stacey Abrams (D)	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	August 2–5, 2013	520	± 4.3%	align=center	47%	34%	19%
20/20 Insight, LLC	May 7–9, 2013	1,483	± 2.5%	align=center	45%	39%	17%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	Margin of error	Nathan Deal (R)	John Barrow (D)	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	February 15–18, 2013	602	± 4%	align=center	48%	38%	14%
Public Policy Polling	November 30 – December 2, 2012	729	± 3.6%	align=center	44%	40%	16%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	Margin of error	Nathan Deal (R)	Scott Holcomb (D)	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	August 2–5, 2013	520	± 4.3%	align=center	48%	28%	24%
20/20 Insight, LLC	May 7–9, 2013	1,483	± 2.5%	41%	41%	18%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	Margin of error	Nathan Deal (R)	Kasim Reed (D)	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	February 15–18, 2013	602	± 4%	align=center	48%	38%	14%
Public Policy Polling	November 30 – December 2, 2012	729	± 3.6%	align=center	47%	40%	13%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	Margin of error	Nathan Deal (R)	Jason Carter (D)	Other	Undecided
NBC News/Marist	align=center rowspan=2	October 26–30, 2014	603 LV	± 4%	align=center	50%	46%	<1%	4%
	875 RV	± 3.3%	align=center	48%	45%	1%	6%

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Douglas (largest town: Douglasville)
• Henry (largest city: Stockbridge)
• Newton (largest town: Covington)

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Baker (largest city: Newton)
• Brooks (largest city: Quitman)
• Clinch (Largest city: Homerville)
• Early (largest city: Blakely)
• McIntosh (largest municipality: Darien)
• Mitchell (largest municipality: Camilla)
• Peach (largest municipality: Fort Valley)
• Webster (largest town: Preston)

External links

• Georgia gubernatorial election, 2014 at Ballotpedia

Official campaign websites (Archived)

• Nathan Deal for Governor
• Jason Carter for Governor
• David Pennington for Governor
• John Barge for Governor
• Andrew Hunt for Governor

Notes and References

1. News: Ga. schools superintendent to run for governor. August 31, 2013. August 31, 2013. Associated Press. Marietta Daily Journal. Christina A.. Cassidy.
2. Web site: Dalton's mayor to challenge Deal in GOP primary. July 9, 2013. July 9, 2013. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Greg. Bluestein.
3. Web site: Christina A. Cassidy . Jason Carter, Jimmy Carter's Grandson, To Run For Georgia Governor . The Huffington Post . November 7, 2013 . November 7, 2013.
4. News: Cassidy. Christina A.. Jimmy Carter's Grandson to Run for Ga. Governor. 7 November 2013. ABC News. 7 November 2013.
5. Web site: Your Daily Jolt: John Barge kicks off gubernatorial run today. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. September 3, 2013 . September 3, 2013.
6. Web site: Shirley Franklin Speculation-Could She Run for Office?. August 14, 2013 . August 18, 2013 . Peach Pundit. Ed. Hula.
7. Web site: Holcomb Considering Ga. Senate, Gubernatorial Bids. May 1, 2013. May 1, 2013. National Journal. Sarah. Mimms. https://web.archive.org/web/20130503032314/http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2013/05/holcomb-considering-ga-senate-gubernatorial-bids-01. May 3, 2013. dead. mdy-all.
8. Web site: I just donated – you should too.... November 7, 2013. December 16, 2013. Twitter. Scott. Holcomb.
9. Web site: Mayor Kasim Reed announces candidacy for re-election . CBS Atlanta . August 26, 2013 . August 27, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130826180608/http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/23254736/mayor-kasim-reed-to-announce-candidacy-for-re-election . August 26, 2013 . dead .
10. Web site: Dr. Andrew Hunt. Libertarian Party. 17 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140407084252/http://www.lp.org/candidates/liberty-candidates-14/dr-andrew-hunt. 7 April 2014. dead. dmy-all.
11. Web site: 2014 Governor Race Ratings for November 3, 2014 . The Cook Political Report . September 3, 2018.
12. Web site: The Crystal Ball's Final 2014 Picks . Sabato's Crystal Ball . September 3, 2018.
13. Web site: 2014 Gubernatorial Ratings . Senate Ratings . The Rothenberg Political Report . September 3, 2018.
14. Web site: 2014 Elections Map - 2014 Governors Races . Real Clear Politics . September 3, 2018.