How onetime Vance roommate made history in Georgia’s political blue wave

ATLANTA, Ga. — Democratic state Sen. Josh McLaurin will become the first Democrat elected Georgia lieutenant governor since Mark Taylor, who held the office for one term under Gov. Roy Barnes and one under Gov. Sonny Perdue.

McLaurin’s election was part of a historic blue wave across Georgia for statewide offices that includes Keisha Lance Bottoms’ historic gubernatorial victory, plus other Democratic wins in down-the-ballot races.

Greg Dolezal, McLaurin’s Republican challenger, conceded to McLaurin.

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If anyone doubted whether Georgia remains the epicenter of American politics, Tuesday night officially settled the debate.

Georgia’s lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate, meaning McLaurin will preside over a legislative body likely controlled by Republicans.

McLaurin and Dolezal were running to replace outgoing Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who launched a once-seemingly certain bid to become the GOP gubernatorial nominee but lost a bitter and fiercely contested Republican primary to billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson.

McLaurin, a Democrat from Sandy Springs, served in the state House from 2019-2023, then in the state Senate since 2023. The UGA graduate also attended Yale Law School, where he was a roommate of current Vice President JD Vance.

In February 2016, Vance wrote, “I go back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical a*****e... or that he’s America’s Hitler.” In April 2022, McLaurin posted a screenshot of the text, which resurfaced when Vance became then-candidate Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate.

Dolezal, a Republican from Cumming, has been in the Senate since 2019. In March 2026, Dolezal posted an AI-generated ad depicting Muslims as invaders terrorizing white Georgians, captioned them as “invaders who would rather pillage our generosity than assimilate,” ending “keep Georgia sharia free.”

The ad drew condemnation from Democrats and fellow Republican state Sen. John Kennedy.

Georgia’s lieutenant governor, who is elected for four years, presides as president of the state Senate and succeeds the governor if the office becomes vacant. Ten Democrats and three Republicans have held the job.