BY VEENA RAO
PEACHTREE CORNERS, GA, May 21, 2026 — Jyot Singh won the Democratic nomination for Georgia House District 97 on May 19, securing a place on the November general election ballot and making history as the first Sikh and Indian American candidate to win a primary election for the Georgia General Assembly.
The Associated Press called the race at 9:13 p.m. Tuesday. Singh defeated fellow Democrat Jacques Laurent, winning 59% of the vote and carrying every precinct in the district in both early voting and Election Day voting, according to his campaign.
The race drew significant attention in Gwinnett County because District 97 is an open seat being vacated by state Rep. Ruwa Romman, who is running for Georgia Senate District 7.
“I am deeply honored to have earned the trust of my community to represent them on the ballot this November and fight for them,” Singh said in a statement released by his campaign following the victory. “This victory brings us closer to real results for working families, and the fight for a more affordable and equitable Georgia continues.”
“I’m incredibly grateful for everyone that contributed their time, energy, and resources towards our people-powered campaign,” he added.
Singh’s campaign said it built an extensive grassroots operation leading up to the May 19 primary, raising more than $240,000 from over 770 individual donors, making more than 10,000 voter calls, and knocking on over 8,500 doors. The campaign also emphasized that it did not accept corporate contributions.
Singh, a Yale graduate, has campaigned on issues including affordability, healthcare access, education, immigrant issues, and economic opportunity. He previously described his campaign as rooted in his experience growing up in a working-class immigrant family.
The campaign also highlighted a broad list of endorsements, including support from Hank Johnson, Nikema Williams, Jonathan Jackson, the Georgia Working Families Party, Georgia Equality, and Georgia Conservation Voters, along with several state lawmakers and advocacy groups.
District 97 includes parts of Duluth, Peachtree Corners, Norcross, and all of Berkeley Lake.
Singh advances to the Nov. 3 general election, where he is expected to face Republican candidate Yassin Moghazy. The district has leaned Democratic in recent election cycles and is considered favorable territory for Democrats.
If elected in November, Singh would become Georgia’s first Sikh American and Indian American legislator and among the youngest members of the Georgia General Assembly.
