Loudermilk and Stamper Set To Face Off In November

U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville, swept the Republican primary in his bid for re-election, unofficial election results show.

As of 1:53 a.m. Wednesday, Loudermilk had a total of 46,523 votes, or 86.05% of the vote, according to numbers from the Georgia Secretary of State’s website. Retired airline captain Mike Pons had 4,911 votes, or 9.08%, and longtime Republican activist Lori Pesta had 2,630 votes, 4.86%.

“Thank you to the voters of Georgia’s 11th Congressional District for your overwhelming support! I will continue to fight for you and work to keep our nation free, safe, and full of opportunity for our children and grandchildren,” Loudermilk said in a post on his campaign Facebook page Tuesday night. “Now, on to November- let’s WIN the White House, the U.S. Senate, and grow our majority in the House!”

Pesta issued a statement expressing disappointment in the results, while congratulating Loudermilk and thanking her campaign team.

“It is disheartening when the needs of the people are not being met and their voices are not being heard in D.C. Remember, change takes time and perseverance. I congratulate Barry Loudermilk on another win, but I will continue to push for what you believe in and continue to advocate for the needs of our community,” she said in a statement. “The efforts of my team have not gone unnoticed, their dedication is commendable. We will all stay strong and continue to fight for the betterment of our district. The future is not set in stone, and there is always room for positive change in GA DST 11.”

Pons did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On the Democratic side, attorney Katy Stamper appeared to be the nominee set to run against Loudermilk in November, with 13,609 votes, 56,59%. Business owner Antonio Daza, who ran for the seat in 2022, had 10,438 votes, or 43.41%.

“I am so grateful to my volunteers and to the voters of Gordon, Bartow, Pickens, western Cherokee and East Cobb counties for choosing me as the Democrat nominee for the U.S. House in Georgia’s 11th Congressional District,” Stamper said in a statement. “While our dollars continue to shrink making it hard to pay for food, gas, housing, and putting our kids through college, Barry Loudermilk has no appetite to take on the Washington, D.C. system. As an independent thinker, I will work to find new avenues to solve our problems. Voters may like Mr. Loudermilk, but he is one of 500-plus poster children for term limits. If you elect me in November, I will fight to raise your standard of living, restore our privacy and dignity, and won’t vote to waste your tax money.”

Daza said he is proud of his team and supporters’ work during the campaign.

“The fight for Justice will always have barriers along the way to overcome. I will stay here, where I have always been, and not give up advocating for all Georgians. After running a successful campaign in 2022 and a strong primary campaign this year. I’ve spoken personally with thousands of Democratic voters, and I know at my core that our supporters are focused on building a truly inclusive community that works for all people regardless of who they are, how they live, or where they are from,” he said in a statement. “I sincerely hope that the Democratic nominee will work to advocate for these values and will reconsider her stances where they run against what the majority of our voters believe in.”

He added that he is “more motivated than ever to enact positive change — this is not the last you will hear about Antonio Daza!”

Georgia’s 11th district includes west and central Cherokee County, Bartow, Pickens and Gordon counties, and parts of north Cobb.

Results are not official until they are certified. The Cherokee County Board of Elections is scheduled to certify local results May 28. The Secretary of State’s Elections Division has until June 7 to certify results for federal and statewide contests.