(The Center Square) – Barbara Rivera Holmes said Wednesday she wants to serve a full term as Georgia’s labor commissioner.
Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Holmes in March to serve the remainder of Bruce Thompson’s term. He died in November of cancer. Thompson was in his first term at the time of his death.
Holmes is Georgia’s first Latina constitutional officer and the first woman to lead the Labor Department.
“I have a profound responsibility to serve the people of Georgia and I look forward to working alongside them to ensure Georgia’s best and brightest days are ahead,” Holmes said in a statement posted to social media. “As labor commissioner, I will continue to lead the department to build trust, foster collaboration, expand workforce development and empower small businesses and entrepreneurs across the state.”
Holmes previously served as the head of the local chamber of commerce and its foundation in Albany.
Former Gov. Nathan Deal appointed Holmes to the Board of Regents in 2018. She also served on the House Rural Development Council during Kemp’s administration.
She will run on the Republican ticket in the 2026 race.
