Bentley Hudgins, a longtime organizer and voting-rights activist, has clinched the Democratic nomination for Georgia House District 90 and is now headed to the Nov. 3 general election. If elected, Hudgins, who uses they/them pronouns, would become the first openly transgender and nonbinary member of the Georgia General Assembly and, by their own account, the first Japanese‑American to serve in the statehouse. The result shakes up the open DeKalb County seat and hands pro‑equality groups a new standard-bearer to rally behind.
Primary numbers and what's at stake
Hudgins defeated Leisa Stafford in the May 19 Democratic primary, winning about 66% of the vote to Stafford’s 34%, according to Atlanta News First. In a district that has leaned solidly Democratic for years, the decisive margin puts Hudgins in a strong position heading into November.
Organizers and reporting note that Hudgins could become both the first Japanese‑American and the state's first openly nonbinary and transgender lawmaker, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Hudgins has been quick to frame the campaign as less about personal milestones and more about who gets to be in the room when laws are written. "We might as well be at the table," they told the paper, pointing to statewide fights over gender-affirming care that have turned the race into a broader referendum on representation.
Endorsements and backing
Hudgins' campaign has touted a slate of endorsements from labor and pro‑equality groups, including the Georgia AFL‑CIO, the Human Rights Campaign PAC, the Working Families Party, Georgia Conservation Voters and the LGBTQ Victory Fund. The Human Rights Campaign PAC announced its backing in April and praised Hudgins' organizing background, according to HRC PAC, while Georgia Equality added Hudgins to its roster of endorsed candidates for the 2026 cycle.
District and the road to November
House District 90 covers a run of DeKalb County neighborhoods, including Druid Hills, Candler Park, Lake Claire, Edgewood, East Atlanta, Gresham Park, Flat Shoals and Cedar Grove, according to Atlanta News First. The Republican nominee on the November ballot is Samantha Boston, who qualified for the race, per TransparencyUSA. With Democrats heavily favored in the district, the matchup is expected to draw outsized attention for its symbolic weight as much as for its outcome.
Hudgins' organizing record
Hudgins has built a reputation as a grassroots organizer and voting-rights advocate, with experience at the Human Rights Campaign, the New Georgia Project and local labor groups, according to reporting by the Atlanta Press Collective. They point to neighborhood-level wins, including work that helped secure American Rescue Plan funds for park improvements in DeKalb, as part of a broader focus on public safety and housing. "I don’t necessarily care about being the first. I care about us being represented," Hudgins told the outlet.
What's next
The general election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026, according to the state's election calendar. Both campaigns are expected to pivot into fall organizing and fundraising mode as they gear up for the final stretch. Local advocates say the race will be closely watched as a test of how Georgia voters respond to a campaign centered on trans and AANHPI representation in a district where Democrats rarely sweat the November numbers.
