Newsource reporters gathered information on each candidate in Northeast Georgia to prepare local voters for the midterm elections in this 2026 Election Guide.
Bárbara Rivera Holmes
Office Sought: Georgia Commissioner of Labor (incumbent)
Party: Republican
Occupation: Georgia Commissioner of Labor
Years in Community: Over 23 years
Candidate’s Election Priorities
Modernizing legacy unemployment infrastructure, expanding workforce training for AI readiness and driving business-backed job placement to support sustainable careers.
More Info for Voters
Website: barbaraforga.com | Social Media: @brhforgeorgia (Instagram), @BRHforGeorgia (X), Bárbara Rivera Holmes (LinkedIn)
Q: Why are you running?
“This is an exciting time in both our state’s history and economy, with advances in workforce development,” Holmes said when she announced her run for a full term. “I have served in communities for many years, and it’s an incredible honor to serve Georgians on a larger scale. I’m eager to continue serving Georgia as labor commissioner, being able to drive smart policies helping our economy grow, being a strong teammate to the governor and his strategic initiatives and a partner to our workforce development partners.”
Q: What experiences have prepared you for this office?
Holmes, who holds degrees in journalism and Spanish from Florida Southern College, has expertise in economic development, public policy and talent cultivation, according to the Georgia Department of Labor’s website. Her public service includes appointments to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and the Georgia Rural Development Council, and she co-chaired the Georgia Innovates Task Force. Holmes served as president and CEO of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce and was vice president of the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission.
Q: What are the most important issues facing the state of Georgia and what would you do to address them?
Issue #1: Upgraded technology and service efficiency
Issue #2: Economic power
Q: What is one accomplishment you hope to achieve during your office if elected?
“I’m eager to continue serving Georgia as labor commissioner, being able to drive smart policies helping our economy grow, being a strong teammate to the governor and his strategic initiatives and a partner to our workforce development partners,” Holmes said.
Q: What is one thing you want voters to know about you?
“Since being appointed by Governor Brian Kemp in April 2025, Bárbara has launched a bold strategic plan to transform the Georgia Department of Labor from the ground up,” according to her website. “A proven leader with deep roots in the state’s business and civic communities, Bárbara is building the ‘Top State for Talent’ — where every Georgian has access to a mortgage-paying job, skills training, and a system that delivers with speed and dignity.”
*Holmes was unavailable for an interview. Responses are from her website and social media.
Nikki Porcher
Office Sought: Labor Commissioner of Georgia
Party: Democratic
Occupation: Nonprofit executive, economic and labor strategist
Years in Community: Over 10 years
Candidate’s Election Priorities
Accessible and affordable childcare, small businesses as job creators, fair pay and safe workplaces
More Info for Voters
Website: voteporcher4ga.com | Social Media: @voteporcher4ga(Instagram), @Vote4Nikki (YouTube), @vote4nikki (TikTok), Nikki Porcher (LinkedIn)
Q: Why are you running?
Porcher “believes work should work for everyone,” according to her campaign website. Porcher said she believes that a person’s work should provide them with dignity, stability and opportunities. “As a single mother, she learned the difference of looking for work with a degree and without one,” her website noted. “She understands the hardships of work-life balance, and believes that when workers are stronger, Georgia is stronger.”
Q: What experiences have prepared you for this office?
“I’ve been a teacher in our public schools, served in the military, built a business, and, like many others, I’ve also been unemployed,” Porcher said on her website. “I’ve seen every side of Georgia’s workforce. I’ve experienced what works and what doesn’t. I know what it takes to create opportunity because I’ve done it.”
Nikki Porcher has built her campaign experience around her prior jobs in the military, non-profit service leadership, educational experience and personal interactions with state workforce experiences. She founded “Buy from a Black Woman,” a nonprofit supporting entrepreneurs, in 2016. She also served in the U.S. Air Force and as a public school educator.
Q: What are the most important issues facing the state of Georgia and what would you do to address them?
Issue #1: Strengthen small businesses. “Too often, small businesses are left out of economic development conversations, even though they are one of the largest drivers of job creation in Georgia,” according to her website. Porcher is working to help “create jobs, train workers and keep local economies alive.”
Issue #2: Childcare and affordability. “As a single mother serving in the military, Nikki worked a part-time job just to help pay rent and keep food on the table,” according to her website. “When I say Georgia is the #1 state for business because you’re working two jobs, I’m talking about the reality many families are living every day. A ranking doesn’t mean much if people are working full-time and still need a second job to afford rent, child care, groceries, or healthcare,” Porcher said on Instagram.
Q: What is one accomplishment you hope to achieve during your office if elected?
Porcher hopes to “modernize workforce development and better connect training opportunities to the real needs of Georgia workers and employers,” according to Porcher’s campaign website. This includes connecting Georgia’s small business community with workforce development efforts.
Q: What is one thing you want voters to know about you?
Porcher’s plan is to “work to make the Department of Labor more accessible, responsive, and worker-centered,” according to her website. “Her administration will provide education about worker rights, improve responsiveness and reach out to vulnerable workers.”
*Porcher was unavailable for an interview. Responses are from her website and social media.
