# Georgia State Senate — District 51 — 2026 Candidates — The GA Files > Where the 2026 candidates for Georgia State Senate — District 51 stand — bio, prior offices, top donors, positions on DEI, LGBTQ+, abortion, and data centers, plus any scandals. Sourced. *Source: https://thegafiles.com/candidates/senate-district-51.html · The GA Files (thegafiles.com)* --- [← 2026 Candidates](https://thegafiles.com/candidates.html) # Georgia State Senate — District 51 D ### Gary St. Lawrence Democratic nominee · Army veteran, journalist Gary St. Lawrence, 61, of Blairsville is a 10-year U.S. Army veteran, IT professional and journalist with a bachelor's degree from Ottawa University and a master's in journalism and communications from the University of the Incarnate Word. He calls himself a “fiscal hawk Democrat” and a “truck-driving, gun-owning, church-going” veteran. This is his first run for public office; he was unopposed in the May primary. #### Previously held - First run for public office - U.S. Army veteran (10 years) #### Top contributors $23,115 raised; he has spent $14,266 and has $8,850 on hand. His donors are mostly north Georgia individuals and local Democratic groups; some small contributions are reported in aggregate. - $2,500.00 — Madeline McNeeley (Brookhaven, GA) - $2,695.76 — Unitemized small donors (reported in aggregate) (Blairsville, GA — two entries) - $1,300.00 — Melba Gandy (Talking Rock, GA) - $1,250.00 — Jean-Marie Giradot (Blairsville, GA) - $1,000.00 — Heather Littlefield (Blairsville, GA) - $1,000.00 — Rabun County Democrats (Clayton, GA) - $870.00 — Elect Dave Cooper GA (Clayton, GA) - $750.00 — Stacy Kavanagh (Atlanta, GA) **$23,116** raised · **$8,850** 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/) · [St. Lawrence for Senate — campaign site](https://stlawrence4senate.org/) · [AccessNorthGA — Blairsville Democrat to seek District 51 State Senate seat](https://accessnorthga.com/news/blairsville-democrat-to-seek-district-51-state-senate-seat) · [Ballotpedia — Gary St. Lawrence](https://ballotpedia.org/Gary_St._Lawrence) · [Wikipedia — 2026 Georgia State Senate election (2024 presidential margins by district)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Georgia_State_Senate_election) #### Where they stand Education We reviewed his campaign site and candidate profiles as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. He criticizes Georgia's Quality Basic Education funding formula as not updated in more than four decades. Source: [St. Lawrence for Senate — campaign site](https://stlawrence4senate.org/) Healthcare Calls complete health care “a basic human need” and wants to build or upgrade hospitals and clinics across rural Georgia. Source: [Ballotpedia — Gary St. Lawrence](https://ballotpedia.org/Gary_St._Lawrence) Minimum Wage Supports raising Georgia's minimum wage, plus tax relief for retirees and workers, including eliminating homestead taxes on properties of five acres or less. Source: [Ballotpedia — Gary St. Lawrence](https://ballotpedia.org/Gary_St._Lawrence) Homelessness We reviewed his campaign site and candidate profiles as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. He wants more affordable housing in every county. Source: [Ballotpedia — Gary St. Lawrence](https://ballotpedia.org/Gary_St._Lawrence) Veterans Affairs We reviewed his campaign site and candidate profiles as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. He lists expanding services for veterans and seniors as a priority. Source: [Ballotpedia — Gary St. Lawrence](https://ballotpedia.org/Gary_St._Lawrence) Immigration We reviewed his campaign site and candidate profiles as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [St. Lawrence for Senate — campaign site](https://stlawrence4senate.org/) · [Ballotpedia — Gary St. Lawrence](https://ballotpedia.org/Gary_St._Lawrence) Gun Control We reviewed his campaign site and candidate profiles as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [St. Lawrence for Senate — campaign site](https://stlawrence4senate.org/) · [Ballotpedia — Gary St. Lawrence](https://ballotpedia.org/Gary_St._Lawrence) Abortion We reviewed his campaign site and candidate profiles as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [St. Lawrence for Senate — campaign site](https://stlawrence4senate.org/) · [Ballotpedia — Gary St. Lawrence](https://ballotpedia.org/Gary_St._Lawrence) LGBTQ+ We reviewed his campaign site and candidate profiles as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [St. Lawrence for Senate — campaign site](https://stlawrence4senate.org/) · [Ballotpedia — Gary St. Lawrence](https://ballotpedia.org/Gary_St._Lawrence) DEI We reviewed his campaign site and candidate profiles as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [St. Lawrence for Senate — campaign site](https://stlawrence4senate.org/) · [Ballotpedia — Gary St. Lawrence](https://ballotpedia.org/Gary_St._Lawrence) Marijuana We reviewed his campaign site and candidate profiles as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [St. Lawrence for Senate — campaign site](https://stlawrence4senate.org/) · [Ballotpedia — Gary St. Lawrence](https://ballotpedia.org/Gary_St._Lawrence) Data centers We reviewed his campaign site and candidate profiles as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [St. Lawrence for Senate — campaign site](https://stlawrence4senate.org/) · [Ballotpedia — Gary St. Lawrence](https://ballotpedia.org/Gary_St._Lawrence) #### Accountability File None documented. [Campaign site](https://stlawrence4senate.org/) R ### Will Wade Republican nominee · state representative, House District 9 Will Wade, a Dawsonville Republican, has represented House District 9 since 2023 and is vice chairman of the House Banks & Banking Committee. He led the three-way May primary with about 43% and won the June 16 runoff over Philip Milam with about 62%. #### Previously held - Georgia House of Representatives, District 9 (2023–present) #### Top contributors $303,403 raised plus $25,000 in loans; a primary and runoff consumed $320,821, leaving $2,325. His largest donor is Sen. Steve Gooch's campaign, followed by insurance, banking, Chamber, Realtors and school-choice PACs. - $6,600.00 — Gooch for Georgia (Dahlonega, GA — Sen. Steve Gooch's committee) - $7,100.00 — Georgia Association of Realtors PAC (Atlanta, GA — two entries) - $5,100.00 — American Property Casualty Insurance Association (Chicago, IL) - $4,300.00 — Apollo Behavior Services LLC (Suwanee, GA) - $4,100.00 — Georgia Bankers Association PAC (Atlanta, GA) - $3,800.00 — GeorgiaCAN Action Fund PAC (Atlanta, GA) - $3,800.00 — Georgia Chamber Free Enterprise Action PAC (Atlanta, GA) - $3,300.00 — David Davoudpour (Atlanta, GA) - $3,300.00 — Geoff Cook (Gainesville, GA) **$303,403** raised · **$2,325** 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 — Will Wade](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) · [AccessNorthGA — Will Wade wins Republican State Senate District 51 race (June 2026)](https://accessnorthga.com/news/will-wade-wins-republican-state-senate-district-51-race) · [AJC — Georgia Senate Republican leader launches campaign for lieutenant governor](https://www.ajc.com/politics/georgia-senate-gop-leader-launches-campaign-for-lieutenant-governor/XKDNXF7BZBAM5HXSLG3OQQO464/) · [Wikipedia — 2026 Georgia State Senate election (2024 presidential margins by district)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Georgia_State_Senate_election) #### Where they stand Education We reviewed his campaign materials and legislative record as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Will Wade](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) Healthcare We reviewed his campaign materials and legislative record as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Will Wade](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) Minimum Wage We reviewed his campaign materials and legislative record as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Will Wade](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) Homelessness We reviewed his campaign materials and legislative record as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Will Wade](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) Veterans Affairs We reviewed his campaign materials and legislative record as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Will Wade](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) Immigration We reviewed his campaign materials and legislative record as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Will Wade](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) Gun Control We reviewed his campaign materials and legislative record as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Will Wade](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) Abortion We reviewed his campaign materials and legislative record as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Will Wade](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) LGBTQ+ We reviewed his campaign materials and legislative record as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Will Wade](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) DEI We reviewed his campaign materials and legislative record as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Will Wade](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) Marijuana We reviewed his campaign materials and legislative record as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Will Wade](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) Data centers We reviewed his campaign materials and legislative record as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Will Wade](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) #### Accountability File None documented. [GA Files fact sheet](https://thegafiles.com/WillWade.html) [⬇ Share image](https://thegafiles.com/share/candidates/senate-district-51.png) [⬇ Download for offline](https://thegafiles.com/candidates/senate-district-51.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.