# Georgia State House — District 119 — 2026 Candidates — The GA Files > Where the 2026 candidates for Georgia State House — District 119 stand — bio, prior offices, top donors, positions on DEI, LGBTQ+, abortion, and data centers, plus any scandals. Sourced. *Source: https://thegafiles.com/candidates/house-district-119.html · The GA Files (thegafiles.com)* --- [← 2026 Candidates](https://thegafiles.com/candidates.html) # Georgia State House — District 119 D ### Catherine Morris Democratic nominee · nonprofit planning director Catherine Morris is a Barrow County mother of two daughters in public schools with more than 20 years in public service and nonprofit work. She is director of planning, reporting and analytics at an international nonprofit and previously worked at the U.S. Institute of Peace and the World Bank. #### Previously held - Director of planning, reporting and analytics, international nonprofit - Former staff, U.S. Institute of Peace and World Bank #### Top contributors $7,383 raised and $4,630 in the bank. Beyond the Fighting Fifty PAC and the state Democratic Party, many of her largest donors live out of state, several in Los Angeles. - $1,839.04 — Fighting Fifty PAC (Decatur, GA) - $500.00 — Charles Rosenberg (Los Angeles, CA) - $500.00 — Democratic Party of Georgia (Atlanta, GA) - $400.00 — Gina Morris (West Hartford, CT) - $350.00 — Mary Jo Robertson (Los Angeles, CA) - $250.00 — Matt King (Wiesbaden, Germany) - $250.00 — Gayla Margolin (Los Angeles, CA) - $250.00 — Jennifer Waltzer (Los Angeles, CA) - $250.00 — Glen Friedman (Los Angeles, CA) - $250.00 — Megan Hull (Oakland, CA) **$7,383** raised · **$4,630** cash on hand — as of **Sep 14, 2026** (GA Ethics latest filing). Source: [Georgia Ethics Commission (PeachFile) — cycle-to-date, Sept. 14, 2026](https://peachfile.ethics.ga.gov/) · [BranchVote — Catherine Morris](https://branch.vote/races/2026-georgia-primary-election-ga-state-state-representative-ga-house-119-d/candidates/catherine-morris) · [Wikipedia — 2026 Georgia House of Representatives election (2024 presidential margins by district)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Georgia_House_of_Representatives_election) #### Where they stand Education Supports “increased financial and policy support for students, teachers, and administrators in Barrow and Jackson County schools,” safe schools, and “affordable and accessible childcare.” Source: [BranchVote — Catherine Morris](https://branch.vote/races/2026-georgia-primary-election-ga-state-state-representative-ga-house-119-d/candidates/catherine-morris) · [Catherine Morris for Georgia — campaign site](https://morrisforgeorgia.com/) Healthcare “Healthcare is a necessity — not a privilege.” Supports expanding Medicaid in Georgia and strengthening rural hospitals. Source: [Catherine Morris for Georgia — campaign site](https://morrisforgeorgia.com/) · [BranchVote — Catherine Morris](https://branch.vote/races/2026-georgia-primary-election-ga-state-state-representative-ga-house-119-d/candidates/catherine-morris) Minimum Wage Supports raising the minimum wage and equal pay for equal work, and “lower taxes for working families” with “an end to corporate loopholes.” Source: [BranchVote — Catherine Morris](https://branch.vote/races/2026-georgia-primary-election-ga-state-state-representative-ga-house-119-d/candidates/catherine-morris) · [Catherine Morris for Georgia — campaign site](https://morrisforgeorgia.com/) Homelessness We reviewed her campaign site and BranchVote profile as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [Catherine Morris for Georgia — campaign site](https://morrisforgeorgia.com/) Veterans Affairs We reviewed her campaign site and BranchVote profile as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [Catherine Morris for Georgia — campaign site](https://morrisforgeorgia.com/) Immigration We reviewed her campaign site and BranchVote profile as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [Catherine Morris for Georgia — campaign site](https://morrisforgeorgia.com/) Gun Control We reviewed her campaign site and BranchVote profile as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [Catherine Morris for Georgia — campaign site](https://morrisforgeorgia.com/) Abortion We reviewed her campaign site and BranchVote profile as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [Catherine Morris for Georgia — campaign site](https://morrisforgeorgia.com/) LGBTQ+ We reviewed her campaign site and BranchVote profile as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [Catherine Morris for Georgia — campaign site](https://morrisforgeorgia.com/) DEI We reviewed her campaign site and BranchVote profile as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [Catherine Morris for Georgia — campaign site](https://morrisforgeorgia.com/) Marijuana We reviewed her campaign site and BranchVote profile as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [Catherine Morris for Georgia — campaign site](https://morrisforgeorgia.com/) Data centers We reviewed her campaign site and BranchVote profile as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [Catherine Morris for Georgia — campaign site](https://morrisforgeorgia.com/) #### Accountability File None documented. [Campaign site](https://morrisforgeorgia.com/) R ### Holt Persinger Republican incumbent · Winder Holt Persinger, a Winder Republican, won House District 119 in a February 28, 2023 special-election runoff and took office that March. The seat opened when Danny Rampey, elected in November 2022, withdrew before taking office following his arrest. #### Previously held - State Representative, House District 119 (March 2023–present) #### Top contributors $14,025 raised this cycle but $44,574 in the bank from earlier fundraising, after about $22,700 in spending. His donors are mostly business and professional PACs, including the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, a Reynolds American tobacco affiliate, Georgia Power's employee PAC and the electric cooperatives' PAC. - $3,300.00 — Competitive Georgia Action, Inc. (Griffin, GA) - $3,000.00 — Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (Atlanta, GA) - $1,000.00 — RAI Services Company (Winston-Salem, NC — Reynolds American affiliate) - $1,000.00 — Terry England (Auburn, GA) - $1,000.00 — Georgia Power Company State Employee PAC (Atlanta, GA) - $500.00 — Georgia Orthopaedic Society (Peachtree City, GA) - $500.00 — Georgia Forestry Association, Inc. (Roswell, GA) - $500.00 — GHA PAC (Atlanta, GA) - $500.00 — Georgia EMC PAC (Tucker, GA) - $500.00 — CAAG for Georgia PAC (Jasper, GA) **$14,025** raised · **$44,574** cash on hand — as of **Sep 14, 2026** (GA Ethics latest filing). Source: [Georgia Ethics Commission (PeachFile) — cycle-to-date, Sept. 14, 2026](https://peachfile.ethics.ga.gov/) · [GA Files fact sheet — Holt Persinger](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) · [Wikipedia — Holt Persinger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holt_Persinger) #### Where they stand Education We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Holt Persinger](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) Healthcare We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. He voted YES on HB 428 (2025), the state IVF-access right. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Holt Persinger](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) · [Georgia General Assembly — House roll-call votes](https://www.legis.ga.gov/votes/house) Minimum Wage We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. He voted YES on HB 111 (2025), accelerating Georgia's income-tax cut, and YES on SB 33 (2026), homestead tax relief. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Holt Persinger](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) · [Georgia General Assembly — House roll-call votes](https://www.legis.ga.gov/votes/house) Homelessness Voted YES on HB 295 (2026), which restricts unsanctioned public camping and sleeping and pushes local governments toward enforcement. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Holt Persinger](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) · [Georgia General Assembly — House roll-call votes](https://www.legis.ga.gov/votes/house) Veterans Affairs We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Holt Persinger](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) Immigration We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Holt Persinger](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) Gun Control We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Holt Persinger](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) Abortion We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Georgia's 2019 six-week law predates his tenure. He voted YES on HB 428, protecting IVF access. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Holt Persinger](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) · [Georgia General Assembly — House roll-call votes](https://www.legis.ga.gov/votes/house) LGBTQ+ Voted YES on SB 1 (2025), barring transgender women and girls from female school and college sports teams, and YES on SB 140 (2023), banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Holt Persinger](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) · [Georgia General Assembly — House roll-call votes](https://www.legis.ga.gov/votes/house) DEI We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Holt Persinger](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) Marijuana Voted YES on SB 220 (2026), the bipartisan expansion of Georgia's low-THC medical cannabis program. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Holt Persinger](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) · [Georgia General Assembly — House roll-call votes](https://www.legis.ga.gov/votes/house) Data centers We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Holt Persinger](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) #### Accountability File None documented. [Full legislator fact sheet](https://thegafiles.com/HoltPersinger.html) · [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holt_Persinger) [⬇ Share image](https://thegafiles.com/share/candidates/house-district-119.png) [⬇ Download for offline](https://thegafiles.com/candidates/house-district-119.offline.html) Every entry is drawn from published reporting, official records, or the candidate's own statements, with sources on each item. Policy summaries are condensed from that reporting and reflect the candidate's stated positions; where a matter is an allegation or unresolved, that is noted, and inclusion is not a finding of guilt. Contributor figures are early/partial where the official itemized filings (Georgia Ethics Commission) are still being compiled. Corrections welcome via the contact link in the footer. Last updated 2026-06-17.