Sen. John F. Kennedy of Macon announces bid for Georgia lieutenant governor

Georgia Sen. John F. Kennedy, a Republican from Macon, formally announced Monday that he is running for lieutenant governor, according to a social media post.

Kennedy has served as the pro tempore in the Georgia Senate since 2023, which sits just a notch beneath the lieutenant governor in the state government. He was first elected to the Georgia Senate in 2014.

Kennedy is just one of a slew of Republican candidates who have made preparations for a run or announced campaigns to succeed Lt. Gov. Butch Jones.

Sen. Steve Gooch, a Republican from Dahlonega, announced he would be running for the seat in May. Takosha Swan, a member of the state veterans services board who was appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2019, also announced a bid.

Sen. Blake Tillery of Vidalia has started raising money for the Republican primary, as has Jerry Timbs II, a local politician from Henry County who previously ran for a commission seat there. Neither have officially announced a campaign but are expected to soon, according to the Georgia Recorder.

On the Democratic side, Georgia Sen. Josh McLaurin of Sandy Springs) has announced a campaign for the seat.

In his post, Kennedy emphasized his support for school choice, job creation and fighting crime. He also touted his work to pass a law limiting lawsuits and civil verdicts in Georgia.

“My first priority has been to put hardworking Georgians first, and that’s what I will continue to do as Georgia’s next Lieutenant Governor,” Kennedy said in the post.