Former federal official Johnson and former Trump aide Jack win Georgia GOP nominations for the U.S. House of Representatives.

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Republicans settled two congressional nominations in Tuesday’s runoffs, with a former federal official defeating a man who was convicted of illegally protesting inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 2021, and a former aide to Donald Trump winning in a race for an open seat in another district.

Meanwhile, Democrats have chosen their candidate to run against Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene in the November general election.

Both parties were also selecting candidates in eight rounds of legislative voting in which neither received a majority in the May 21 primary.

Here is an overview of the races:

2nd district

Former U.S. Department of Education official Wayne Johnson defeated convicted offender Jan. 6, Chuck Hand, for the Republican nomination in the 2nd Congressional District.

“I think people are looking for solutions,” Johnson later told The Associated Press by telephone. “They are looking for people who can bring some experience. And I think I’ve managed to convey that I’m a solution-oriented person.

Johnson will challenge 16-term Democratic incumbent Representative Sanford Bishop in the district, which spans 30 counties in southwest Georgia, extending to Columbus and Macon. The district has achieved comfortable Democratic majorities in recent years.

Johnson promises to pay greater attention to the region’s needs, particularly its military bases. He said voters believe Bishop hasn’t done enough to improve economic conditions in a region that includes some of the state’s poorest counties.

“It’s not that they feel responsible,” Johnson said. “They just don’t feel like he’s done anything substantial to lift him up or propel him forward.”

Johnson was the first to gain votes in the May 21 four-way primary, but second-place finisher Hand came under fire after criticizing Johnson and then withdrew from a televised debate.

Hand, a construction superintendent, was sentenced to 20 days in federal prison and six months of probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor in connection with the Capitol riot. He is one of at least five people convicted of the January 6 crimes. who ran for Congress this year as Republicans, three of whom have lost primaries so far.

Hand campaigned to rally black and white working-class voters under Trump’s banner to improve the economy. When asked for comment Tuesday, Hand responded via text message: “To be continued…”

3rd district

Former Trump aide Brian Jack defeated former Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan for the Republican nomination in the 3rd Congressional District.

Jack will be favored against Democrat Maura Keller in November to succeed Republican U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson, who is resigning after four terms.

A 36-year-old Peachtree City native, Jack was endorsed by Trump after working in his campaign and administration. He later worked for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Jack based his campaign on aligning himself with the former president and using his connections in Washington to raise money.

“The power of Trump support is alive and well,” Jack told the AP by phone. “I would not be a Republican candidate without the support of President Trump, his repeated support.”

Jack has promised to campaign heavily through November, in part to try to increase turnout for Trump, and he has touted his experience and connections as a way to achieve congressional goals, including extending cuts taxes and repression of immigration.

“I think this gives me a unique opportunity to be incredibly effective from day one and be incredibly responsive to the voters in my district,” Jack said.

Dugan argued that Jack’s Washington insider status was a liability, saying voters should instead prefer his Georgia values.

“Even though tonight didn’t go the way we hoped, we are grateful for the support that got us to this point,” Dugan said in a statement. “We wish Brian Jack good luck.”

Jack won nearly 47 percent of the vote in the May 21 primary and was first in 14 of 15 counties. Dugan got nearly 25 percent and won his home county of Carroll. Third and fourth place both backed Jack.

The 3rd District includes some southern and western suburbs of Atlanta, extending south to Columbus, with Republicans typically winning about two-thirds of the vote.

Other races

In the Democratic contest to challenge Greene in the 14th District, Shawn Harris, an Army general and retired rancher, defeated Clarence Blalock, a candidate for Atlanta City Council in 2021. Blalock barely led Harris in the primary at four. Harris faces an uphill battle in this heavily Republican district.

Candidates for legislative seats in eight states were selected in a runoff election.

Republican incumbent Steven Sainz defeated challenger Glenn Cook to retain his seat in House District 180 in Camden and Glynn counties. Sainz will face Democrat Defonsio Daniels in November.

Military veteran and Democratic activist Kenya Wicks defeated former state Rep. Valencia Stovall for the Democratic nomination in Senate District 34 in Clayton and Fayette counties after party organizations endorsed Wicks, citing past support from Stovall to school choice and other issues. Wicks will face Republican Andrew Honeycutt for the vacant seat.