Georgia’s race for state school superintendent is barreling toward a June 16 runoff after incumbent Richard Woods missed an outright win by a hair in the May 19 Republican primary. Candler County Superintendent Fred “Bubba” Longgrear clawed his way into a one-on-one fight as the contest zeroed in on two hot-button issues: sagging reading scores and a flood of outside cash.
Woods pulled in roughly 49.9% of the vote in a five-way GOP field, while Longgrear notched about 29.1%, forcing the June 16 runoff that will determine who meets Democratic nominee Lydia Powell in November, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The razor-thin miss, about 1,000 votes shy of a majority, instantly turned the superintendent’s race into one of the most closely watched down-ballot battles in the state.
Early voting runs statewide from June 8 to 12, with some metro Atlanta counties opening their polls as early as June 6, according to WABE. That tight calendar is already driving an arms race in ad spending and get-out-the-vote operations across Georgia.
Literacy Woes Take Center Stage
Reading scores have become the pressure point for Woods. An analysis of Georgia Milestones results shows that roughly 35.1% of third graders were proficient in 2024–25, the lowest level in seven years, according to a state literacy report. Lawmakers and local education leaders say that downturn is the main reason classroom policy has dominated the primary debate instead of the usual swirl of culture-war skirmishes.
Lawmakers Bet Big On Literacy Coaches
This spring, the General Assembly signed off on a sweeping literacy overhaul built around putting a trained literacy coach in every K-3 school and funding an initial $70 million grant meant to cover about 1,313 coaching positions, as detailed by Capitol Beat. The Georgia Department of Education also lays out a statewide coaching model and training resources built to support districts as they scramble to implement the new rules.
Outside Cash, Attack Ads And Dark-Money Jabs
Outside groups have muscled into the race, and Woods has accused Longgrear of riding a wave of “dark money” linked to a PAC called Conservatives for Strong Schools. WABE reports that the PAC spent roughly $831,929 on digital ads and mail pieces and took in about $900,000 from America Works Fund Inc. Longgrear, for his part, says his own campaign reports all donations to the state ethics office.
How Woods And Longgrear Draw The Battle Lines
Longgrear oversees a district of roughly 2,100 students and serves as president of the Georgia School Superintendents Association. He has pitched himself as a team builder who backs stricter discipline, updated student assessments and broader voucher options, according to Georgia Recorder. Woods has leaned hard on his record, pointing to what he describes as gains in the state’s graduation rate, which he cites as rising from about 79% in 2015 to roughly 87.2% in 2025, and says the department is rolling out targeted literacy supports aimed at reversing the reading slide.
What Happens Next
With early voting starting this week and the runoff locked in for June 16, both campaigns are shifting to turnout tactics and highly targeted outreach. The runoff winner will meet Lydia Powell in the November general election, as noted by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Voters who picked a party ballot in May must stick with that same party for the runoff, and county election offices will have the specific early-voting locations and hours for anyone looking to weigh in on who runs Georgia’s schools.
