All Eyes on 2026 Elections as Ga. Lawmakers Get into Gear

Partner Robert Highsmith and Senior Policy Advisor Marci Rubensohn, members of the firm's Georgia Government Advocacy Team, were featured in a Law360 article previewing what to expect from Georgia's 2026 legislative session. With Gov. Brian Kemp in the final year of his term and all executive offices up for grabs, the year portends plenty of jockeying among lawmakers. Mr. Highsmith commented that Kemp will likely receive deference on a couple of key priorities, which could appear in the next budget as one-time funding items.

Looking beyond Kemp's agenda, Ms. Rubensohn talked about Lt. Gov. Burt Jones' signature issue, a repeal of Georgia's income tax. Last summer Jones created a committee to study eliminating the tax, but legislators have expressed concern about its effect on the state budget and how to replace the lost income.

"There's not really been real discussion about how to backfill that revenue," she said, adding that other issues such as election security and rural healthcare could also form the basis for new bills.

"I think in an election year, anything's possible," she remarked.

Mr. Highsmith agreed, observing, "I think everybody understands that an odd-year municipal election year cycle is very, very different from a gubernatorial election year when every major statewide office and a [U.S.] Senate seat is in the balance."

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