Greg Dolezal frames conservative platform for June 16 GOP runoff

Greg Dolezal solidifies his positions ahead of runoff

A head-to-head runoff election scheduled for June 16 will decide which Republican candidate advances to the November ballot for Georgia lieutenant governor, according to election officials.  

ATLANTA - State Sen. Greg Dolezal is framing his campaign around strict fiscal conservatism and relief for everyday families ahead of a critical debate in the Georgia lieutenant governor runoff race. 

The 27th District senator is facing off against former colleague John F. Kennedy in the upcoming June 16 election. 

Georgia runoff battle

What we know:

State Sen. Greg Dolezal has served as the Georgia state senator for the 27th District since 2019. He advanced to a head-to-head runoff election against his former colleague, former state Sen. John F. Kennedy, which is scheduled for June 16. 

Dolezal is positioning himself as an unyielding conservative, highlighting policy differences regarding corporate tax incentives and government spending. He noted his past opposition to subsidies, stating, "I voted against the data center tax credit expansion four years ago, because I don't believe that Georgians should be waking up every day and going to work and paying income taxes to give away a billion and a half dollars a year to data centers". He also stated that he has never voted for a tax increase, while asserting that Kennedy has done so multiple times. 

Undisclosed race details

What we don't know:

Officials have not yet confirmed the exact date and time for the upcoming televised debate between the two candidates. Additionally, public polling data has not been released to show which candidate currently holds an advantage leading into the June 16 vote. 

Data center tensions

What they're saying:

Dolezal is highlighting key policy differences regarding corporate tax incentives and state spending to differentiate himself from his opponent. He noted that he voted against a massive data center tax credit expansion four years ago.

He stated that data center companies give away a lot of money, which makes the issue difficult for some Republicans who previously supported the credits. He argued that working Georgians should not have to pay state income taxes to fund a $1.5 billion annual giveaway to these data centers.

Middle class focus

Big picture view:

Dolezal said his primary platform centers on relieving the heavy financial strain hitting everyday citizens in the state. "The middle class is on life support, and so we have to find solutions that give breathing room for the American family to feel like they can succeed and get ahead in Georgia," Dolezal said. He added that there are very specific things state government can do to help.

Dolezal also claimed that his messaging ultimately broke through because he was not afraid to speak out on difficult topics. "I've never voted for a tax increase," Dolezal said. "And John, for whatever reasons he has, has voted for multiple tax increases."