Wayne Johnson wins GOP primary for Georgia’s U.S. House District 2

Johnson to face incumbent Sanford Bishop in November election

June 18, 2024

Tucker Sargent,

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Wayne Johnson has secured the Republican nomination for U.S. House District 2 in Georgia, defeating Chuck Hand. Johnson will face incumbent Sanford Bishop in the general election this November.

The results have not yet been finalized on the Georgia Secretary of State’s website, but the Associated Press has called the race in Johnson’s favor.

“Not only we’ve got to prevail over Sanford, we’ve got to prevail over Joe Biden, so at the end of the day, this is important for the district to have an opportunity to make a change,” Johnson said during a phone interview with 41NBC Tuesday night.

Johnson attributed his primary win to his focus on solutions and substance.

“I think what enabled me to prevail tonight was I believe I was able to convey to folks that I was substantive and solutions-focused, and so I’m quite frankly extraordinarily appreciative that serious-minded folks showed up and voted,” he said.

Looking ahead to the general election, Johnson acknowledged Bishop’s long tenure but said there’s a need for change.

“First of all, Sanford, he’s been there 32 years,” he said. “He’s well respected. I think people are going to recognize that the Sanford that started 30 years ago is different than the Sanford, than certainly the party aspects today. He added that addressing diverse needs of the district’s major markets—Macon, Warner Robins, Columbus, Albany, Bainbridge, and Thomasville—would be crucial.

“Now it’s into the big arena,” he said. “I make no presumptions that that’s going to be anything except for a very difficult undertaking,” Johnson said. “At the end of the day, there will probably be 300,000 votes cast in the general for the congressional seat, and we’re going to have to wind up carrying somewhere between 40 or 50,000 people that would normally vote Democrat to vote for me.”

Johnson remains optimistic despite the challenge.

“I think as I’ve gone through the district, and I’ve talked to everybody, all the types of folks that make up the district, there’s a definite desire for change,” he said. “And I think that’s what we can satisfy.”