(The Center Square) – Democrats Alicia Johnson and Peter Hubbard handily defeated incumbent Republicans Tim Echols and Fitz Hubbard for seats on the Public Service Commission on Tuesday.
Johnson unseated Echols, who has been on the commission since 2011. Hubbard defeated Johnson, who was appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2021 to fill the unexpired term of Chuck Eaton.
While former President Joe Biden won Georgia’s presidential nomination in 2020 and Democratic U.S. Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff were elected in federal contests, Tuesday marks the first time Democrats won a statewide race since 1998, Charles Bullock, a University of Georgia professor of political science, told The Center Square. Roy Barnes was elected governor that year.
Echols conceded the race during a live broadcast on X at around 8:30 p.m., saying he didn’t think he would overcome Johnson’s lead. Johnson and Hubbard were leading the Republican candidates 60% to 40% at that point.
“I just want to thank everyone for all the work they’ve done on this campaign, and there’s a lot of lessons to be learned for us and I’m not sure exactly what God has for me next,” Echols said before ending his live broadcast.
The Georgia Conservation Voters Action Fund poured $2.2 million into the campaigns for Johnson and Hubbard, the organization said in an email to The Center Square.
“GCV Action Fund launched this campaign because we need cheaper, cleaner power. To get that, we need new leadership on the Public Service Commission. We’re proud of the $2.2 million multi-media campaign, which has engaged over a million voters and clearly prosecuted the case against the PSC. Our campaign reminds voters what they already feel every month: they can’t afford more of the same,” Allie Brown, deputy director of Georgia Conservation Voters, said Monday.
Echols attributed the strong turnout to the push by Georgia Conservation Voters.
“We don’t know exactly who funded them,” Echols said. “But they were effective.”
The Public Service Commission oversees the state’s utilities. The other three members of the commission are Republicans.
“Johnson and Hubbard won tonight’s Georgia Public Service Commissioner race by focusing on the issue that matters most to Georgians: lowering costs,” the Democratic National Party said in a news release. “This victory is a direct response to Trump’s cost-raising agenda that is squeezing pocketbooks in Georgia and across the country.”
