Newsource reporters gathered information on each candidate in Northeast Georgia to prepare local voters for the midterm elections in this 2026 Election Guide.
Lydia Powell
Office Sought: State school superintendent
Party: Democrat
Occupation: Assistant high school principal at Hampton High School in Henry County, Georgia
Years in Community: 26 years as an educator in Georgia
Candidate’s Election Priorities
Strengthening rural Georgia, universal preschool, reducing over-reliance on standardized tests
More Info for Voters
Website: drlydiapowell.com | Social Media: @votedrlydiapowell (Instagram)
Candidate FAQs
Q: Why are you running?
Her website identifies teacher shortages, achievement gaps and the mental health crisis as some of the education challenges in Georgia that she sees.
Q: What experiences have prepared you for this office?
“With over 26 years of experience in education as a highly qualified and certified teacher, I bring a deep commitment to student success, ethical leadership, and community engagement. My career includes 11 years in educational leadership. I have served on the Fayette County High School Principal’s Advisory Council and the HOSA Advisory Board,” Powell said on her website.
Q: What are the most important issues facing the state of Georgia and what would you do to address them?
Issue #1: Every child ready to learn
“Ensuring that every child in Georgia begins their education on solid ground through universal access to preschool education. Early investment creates lifelong success,” Powell said on her website.
Issue #2: Restoring trust and supporting educators
“Reducing over-reliance on standardized tests. Teachers deserve trust, support and training that helps them focus on real learning. Prioritizing mental health and wellness for students and educators with statewide standards for funding and support,” Powell said on her website.
Issue #3: Strengthening rural Georgia
Powell has said she wants to expand connectivity and access for rural communities and seek to grow funding for schools in high poverty areas.
*Powell did not respond to interview requests by the deadline. Responses were pulled from her website and social media.
Richard Woods
Office Sought: State school superintendent (incumbent)
Party: Republican
Occupation: State school superintendent; three decades of experience in public education, former small-business owner and lead purchasing agent for a multinational laser company.
Years in Community: Over 30 years
Candidate’s Election Priorities
Reestablish the basics of reading and math, expand diploma options, strengthen personal finance and civics education, prepare students for high-wage, high-demand careers, reduce screen time, protect planning time, raise teacher pay, and expand salary step raises for teachers beyond 21 years, protect against AI misuse and overreach, increase attendance and graduation rates
More Info for Voters
Website: woodsforsuper.com | Social media: @woodsforsuper (Facebook), @woodsforsuper (X)
Candidate FAQs
Q: Why are you running?
“As state superintendent, I’ve led with transparency, integrity and honesty … I’ve remained true to who I am, and that’s a teacher with a title. One who has never compromised on doing what is best for our children,” he said in a 2026 Atlanta Press Club debate. “And I will never make that compromise as long as I serve you as state school superintendent. You deserve the best. I have given you my best, and I will continue to do so.”
Q: What experiences have prepared you for this office?
“I am a leader with real results and real action. I ended Common Core, brought back phonics, cursive writing, personal finance, raised literacy scores and graduation rates throughout the state, and also saw over $9,000 in teacher pay,” he said in a 2026 Atlanta Press Club debate. “Again, I am an individual who not only talks the talk, but walks the walk.”
Q: What are the most important issues facing the state of Georgia and what would you do to address them?
Issue #1: Literacy
The biggest plan we started was several years ago when getting rid of Common Core, and now phonics are back in the classroom, he said in a 2026 Atlanta Press Club debate.
“This was a process in which we engaged hundreds, if not over a thousand, teachers throughout the state. So collaboration with our teachers is extremely important,” he said.
Issue #2: School Safety
He said “we received millions of dollars in grants” to help support districts at the local level to fund safety.
“Listening to what our districts need, one of the things we actually did is I approached the State Board of Education to have a talk with them to say, ‘Listen, we need a policy in which our districts need to actually talk with EMS and our first responders to make sure our buildings are not an issue,’” he said in a 2026 Atlanta Press Club debate. “But the Georgia Seal of Readiness deals with a lot of preparation to make sure our districts are looking at every angle so they can enforce and make sure that they are preparing for any situation that takes place, not just a shooter or some perhaps hostile individual, but looking at all forms of safety issues. So we’re going to continue to move forward with that address and listen to our base of individuals across the state.”
Issue #3: Funding for public education
“I’ve always stated that there needs to be an … action taken by the General Assembly to ensure that our schools are adequately funded,” he said in a 2026 Atlanta Press Club debate. “We are constitutionally obligated to make sure that all of our public education schools are funded by the state of Georgia. I will continue to look at that. That will be my first and foremost before any cuts are made, before any decisions are made.”
*Woods did not respond to interview requests. Responses were pulled from the Atlanta Press Club debate.
