2026 Georgia General Election

Biography 

Born in Georgia

Paulding County High School 

University of Georgia, BS Biology

Medical College of Georgia, MD

University of Connecticut, Emergency Medicine 

Athens Regional Medical Center, Emergency Department

Colin McKinney, MD for Insurance Commissioner

Colin Mckinney was born in Georgia. He earned a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Georgia and a medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia.

I’ve been a practicing Emergency Medicine physician since 2006, here in Athens, Georgia since 2009. I’ve been on the Board of my company since 2011 and served on multiple committees at Piedmont Athens Regional for many years. I’ve seen just about everything you can see in the emergency department, but I’ve also heard for years from my patients their frustrations with their insurers.

Colin Mckinney works as an emergency medicine physician in Athens, Georgia.

I was nominated in 2022 to run for PSC to help LPGA maintain ballot access. The PSC races are relatively easy ways to get the needed 2% of voters that allows us to keep our names on the ballot for other statewide races, like President, Governor, and (ahem) Labor Commissioner. However there was a lawsuit in 2022 that challenged the practice of making PSC candidates live in a certain district and then allowing them to be voted on by the entire state. So the 2022 election was cancelled.

Here we go again. . . — Colin McKinney, MD for Insurance Commissioner

Colin was nominated in 2022 to run for the Public Service Commission, but the election was canceled.

## Platform:
#### “Georgians deserve a choice in insurance providers, fair treatment by them, and enforcement of their contracts with them.”

  * #### More choice:
Georgians deserve easier access to health insurance plans outside of their employer and across state lines.

Platform and FAQs; not meant to be permanent or binding. — Colin McKinney, MD for Insurance Commissioner

You have a choice in car, home, and life insurance, but your health insurance is often limited to what your employer can provide. This is because your employer can bargain for better rates by signing a contract and then use your money to pay for insurance as a pre-tax expense.

Consumers should be able to join co-ops or similar groups in order to negotiate for better rates OUTSIDE of their employer.

  * #### More competition:
In order to protect the interests of the people of Georgia, the insurance market must be truly free.
You have a choice in car, home, and life insurance, but your health insurance is often limited to what your employer can provide.

Inflation has unfortunately affected every aspect of American life, but insurance costs seem to increase no matter who’s in charge of the economy. This is partly because of our aging populace and more expensive drugs and treatments.

However, limitations on the number of companies allowed to work in a particular state and disallowing customers from shopping or collective bargaining allows insurance companies to just keep increasing their prices and their profits.
I have no ethical problem with a company making lots and lots of money. . . unless that company is protected from competition or from compliance.

Advocates expanding access to health insurance plans outside employer coverage and across state lines.

Supports allowing consumers to join co-ops or similar groups to negotiate insurance rates outside employer coverage.

Advocates a freer insurance market to increase competition and address rising insurance prices.

- Advocates expanding access to health insurance plans outside employer coverage and across state lines.
- Supports allowing consumers to join co-ops or similar groups to negotiate insurance rates outside employer coverage.
- Advocates a freer insurance market to increase competition and address rising insurance prices.

Insurance

These practices are touted as “cost saving measures” but they’re really just ways to maximize profits at your expense, making you jump through hoops to delay or deny the healthcare you expected.

Insurers who abuse their customers in these ways must be held accountable. It is the duty of the Insurance Commissioner to enforce contracts and revoke licenses if necessary for continued abuses.

Are you pleased with your interactions with your insurance companies? Have you dutifully paid your premiums for years with the expectation that you’d be taken care of when an emergency came up? Did your company live up to your expectations? Or were you short-changed, denied coverage, or subject to unreasonable delays in care or payment?

Companies that take advantage of their customers by taking premiums but not meeting expectations when claims are filed must be held accountable. Furthermore, companies that have one-sided contracts with payors who then try to short-change them must also be held accountable. This is a nationwide problem, and Georgia needs to lead the charge in fixing it.

If elected as Insurance Commissioner, I will strive to serve within these parameters, in the best interest of the people whom I shall represent. I will try my best to inspire the most free-market solutions possible. However, I firmly believe that the State could do a better job of enforcing contracts and holding insurers accountable to their policy holders and other parties with whom they contract.

Supports enforcing insurance contracts and holding insurers accountable for mishandled claims, including revoking the licenses of insurers that continue such abuses.

- Supports enforcing insurance contracts and holding insurers accountable for mishandled claims, including revoking the licenses of insurers that continue such abuses.

Consumer Protection

As of July 24, 2026, Colin Mckinney’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Fire Safety

Housing & Urban Development

Endorsements

Colin Mckinney

Colin Mckinney is from Georgia. He attended Paulding County High School. He has a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Georgia and a doctor of medicine degree from the Medical College of Georgia. He completed residency training in emergency medicine at the University of Connecticut. He lives with his wife and children in Athens.

Colin is an Emergency Medicine physician. He works at Georgia Emergency Medicine Specialists, where he has been a board member and serves as secretary since 2011. He has practiced emergency medicine since 2006, treating patients in Athens, Georgia, since 2009.

Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

John King

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John Franklin King is originally from Mexico. He earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and public administration from Brenau University and a master's degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College. John lives in Georgia.

John is the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner.

John previously worked as the chief of police for the Doraville Police Department. He also worked as a beat cop for the Atlanta Police Department. He served in the Georgia Army National Guard for 36 years, reaching the rank of major general.

John King (Georgia) - Ballotpedia

Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King drops out of 2026 race for US Senate

John currently serves as Georgia's Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner. He was appointed in 2019 and elected in 2022, and is in his second term. He ran for the U.S. Senate in 2026, but withdrew.

Has helped recover more than $100 million from and levy $22 million in fines against insurance companies.

Promises to increase the maximum amount allowed for initial fines against insurance companies.

Plans to make sure insurance companies lower rates as they promised.

- Has helped recover more than $100 million from and levy $22 million in fines against insurance companies.
- Promises to increase the maximum amount allowed for initial fines against insurance companies.
- Plans to make sure insurance companies lower rates as they promised.

Pulled Georgia from the Affordable Care Act marketplace to a state-run one, providing 10 provider options to Georgians.

- Pulled Georgia from the Affordable Care Act marketplace to a state-run one, providing 10 provider options to Georgians.

Worked to expand local partnerships with first responders and law enforcement, while tripling the number of arson K-9s across the state.

Helped arrest more than 500 arsonists over six years.

Increased the number of fraud investigations conducted by the office.

Helped deploy teams and claims village to help victims of natural disasters connect directly with providers.

- Worked to expand local partnerships with first responders and law enforcement, while tripling the number of arson K-9s across the state.
- Helped arrest more than 500 arsonists over six years.
- Increased the number of fraud investigations conducted by the office.
- Helped deploy teams and claims village to help victims of natural disasters connect directly with providers.

As of July 23, 2026, John King’s website did not contain information on this issue.

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Keisha Sean Waites - Ballotpedia

Keisha Sean Waites has a bachelor's degree from Georgia Southern University.

Keisha previously served as a member of the Atlanta City Council for at-large post 3. She served one term from 2022 to 2024. Keisha also served as the state representative for Georgia's 60th District. She served three terms from 2012 to 2017. She ran for the Georgia Public Service Commission's 3rd District in 2025, Fulton County clerk of superior court in 2024, U.S. representative for Georgia's 5th district in 2020, U.S. representative for Georgia's 13th District in 2020, the Fulton County Commission chair in 2018 and 2017, but did not win.

Keisha previously worked in the legislative affairs division of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and as a disaster reservist/commercial loan specialist at the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Seeks to review and challenge unjustified rate hikes for auto and home insurance.

- Seeks to review and challenge unjustified rate hikes for auto and home insurance.

Wants to invest in modern equipment and faster response times for Georgia's rural and under-served communities.

Aims to create a dedicated task force to protect seniors and vulnerable families from insurance scams.

- Wants to invest in modern equipment and faster response times for Georgia's rural and under-served communities.
- Aims to create a dedicated task force to protect seniors and vulnerable families from insurance scams.

As of July 23, 2026, Keisha Sean Waites’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Georgia Voter Guide

Make Gwinnett Great Again

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Keisha Sean Waites

- The Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner (Insurance Commissioner for short) oversees the office that regulates insurance companies to make sure they’re following state law.
- The Insurance Commissioner works with insurance companies to set prices for all types of insurance including health, automobile, and home. 
- The Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner acts as Georgia’s top fire marshal. Their office conducts inspections of buildings and houses to prevent fire outbreaks and keep the public safe. 
- In October 2021, the former Georgia Insurance Commissioner Jim Beck was sentenced to over 7 years in prison for wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, and tax fraud. For this reason, corruption is one of the top issues we highlight for this office.
- The Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner is a statewide position that is elected to four-year terms.

Regulates the insurance industry and ensures fire safety in Georgia

Georgia Commissioner of Insurance

Candidates (3)