"Awful Candidates" Blackface Apology Helped One Georgia Republican Survive the Primary While Racist Text Allegations Helped End Another's Campaign

Two Georgia Republicans entered primary season carrying baggage connected to accusations of racism. Only one emerged with a victory on Election Day.

State Rep. Kasey Carpenter kept his seat after confronting a resurfaced photograph showing him wearing blackface at a college party decades ago. Carpenter spoke publicly about the image, apologized and acknowledged the hurt it caused, as reported by Atlanta Black Star.

Carpenter's bid for another term became a test of whether constituents would accept an apology tied to conduct from his past. Rather than avoiding reporters, he addressed questions directly and described why he no longer viewed the photograph the same way.

A very different path unfolded in Georgia's 10th Congressional District.

Ryan Millsap, a film studio executive seeking a congressional seat, came up short after racist and antisemitic text messages became public. Court records cited by multiple outlets described exchanges that surfaced during a legal dispute involving Millsap and a former attorney.

Additional claims added pressure. Earlier legal filings asserted that a former Major League Baseball player's signature had been forged during an investment deal, placing another unwelcome spotlight on details from Millsap's past.

The two contests unfolded under very different circumstances. One candidate acknowledged a damaging photograph and addressed it publicly. The other continued facing questions tied to text messages and courtroom filings that remained part of his bid for office.

Former attorney John Da Grosa Smith delivered some of the sharpest attacks. He portrayed Millsap as someone whose private conduct differed sharply from the image presented to voters. Millsap has pushed back against that characterization.

Election returns produced sharply different endings for the two men. Carpenter secured another term in Atlanta, while Millsap's congressional bid fell short.

Georgia's latest primary offered a lesson in political survival. One candidate stepped forward, apologized and continued making his case to the public. The other spent much of the race attempting to overcome damaging accusations that lingered through Election Day.