Democrat Michael Thurmond has announced his bid for governor of Georgia in 2026. Thurmond says he wants to focus on the cost of living, preserving access to health care and ending divisiveness.

Thurmond is one of only three Black people to win election to statewide office in Georgia, serving three terms as labor commissioner after first winning election in 2010. He was a

Michael Thurmond won over voters three times across Georgia to become — and remain — the state's labor commissioner. He hopes to repeat history in his run for governor. Why it matters: Thurmond, who most recently served as DeKalb County CEO,