Best’s News & Research Service - March 16, 2026 09:10 AM (EDT)
Georgia Commissioner Race Gains Clarity as Democrat Field Emerges
ATLANTA //BestWire// - The Georgia insurance commissioner election race is coming into sharper focus as five Democrats qualified for their parties primary and hope to face sitting-Insurance Commissioner John King in November’s general election.
Qualifying Democrat candidates for the May 19 primary are entrepreneur Ambuj “AJ” Jain, small business owner Clarence Blalock, insurance agent DeAndre Bernard Mathis, former state and city lawmaker Keisha Sean Waites, and Thomas Gabriel Dean, who lists his occupation as driver, according to the Georgia Secretary of State.
King, who has served as insurance commissioner since being appointed to the role in 2019, is the sole Republican candidate, secretary of state election information show. Stepping into the role for Jim Beck, who was indicted on embezzlement charges, and King was reelected in 2022 and became the first Hispanic to win a statewide race in Georgia.
A notable absence from the Democrat field was Sen. Nabilah Parkes, who announced her candidacy in January, but more recently transitioned her campaign in an attempt to win the lieutenant governor position (BestWire, Jan. 7, 2026).
Although Parkes left the commissioner race, she continues to cast a shadow with two of the Democrat candidates mentioning automobile insurance-related legislation she introduced in the Senate this past year.
Mathis said he backs Parkes legislation to end the use of credit scores and ZIP codes in auto underwriting.
“For 21 years, I’ve had the unfortunate task of telling people who’ve never had accidents or tickets in their lives but have challenged credit and that is keeping their insurance rate higher than someone who may have several tickets,” Mathis said.
He also said he believes the commissioner role should be filled by someone with experience in the industry and knows firsthand what licenses courses and state exams entail.
Although he agrees with limiting the use of credit and location, Mathis said he would not support bans on factors such as age or others that are backed by sound, actuarial evidence.
Mathis also took issue with the commissioner role being used as a steppingstone for higher political office, pointing to King’s previous bid for a United States Senate seat. Although Mathis mentioned King specifically, he said politicians from both parties have used the role for similar ends in the past.
Further, the possibility of turning Georgia “blue, from the governor on down,” is also a motivating factor, Mathis said.
The ability to wage a successful statewide campaign is among Blalock’s major pitches to his party. In 2025, he served as campaign manager for Peter Hubbard’s winning campaign for a public service commission seat.
“We hadn’t won a nonfederal, statewide election in 19 years until Peter Hubbard won with 63% of the vote,” Blalock said. “I am one of the few people who knows how to win statewide.”
One of Hubbard’s keys, and one Blalock said he intends on leveraging, is a message on affordability.
He said current regulations and penalties are insufficient, noting one of the major roles of the commissioner is to levy fines to ensure compliance. “John King only fined insurance companies $42 million and bragged about this, but that only comes out to about $4 per person, with approximately 11 million Georgians,” Blalock said. “That’s a slap on the wrist.”
He said fines on insurers should be actually punitive.
While he expressed interest in Parkes credit and ZIP code legislation, Blalock said the more powerful piece of legislation she introduced would be one that increases the commissioner’s rate review authority.
“I don’t think they are justifying these rates, so you really need to have a watchdog in there,” Blalock said.
Attempts to gain further comment for Waites, Jain and Dean were unsuccessful.
King, who’s background includes serving in the military and law enforcement, is focusing his campaign recovering taxpayer money, tort reform, supporting the state-based health insurance exchange and fighting fraud.
(By Steve Hallo, senior associate editor, BestWire: Steve.Hallo@ambest.com)