May 30, 2026
I’m Not Going Anywhere
Why I’m not endorsing in the District 10 runoff, and what I learned from nearly 10,000 voters.
I knew what the odds were when I entered this race.
On paper, there were plenty of reasons not to run. I was newer to Georgia politics. I didn’t have decades of political infrastructure behind me or universal name recognition. But, over the last year, something became unmistakably clear to me: the people of District 10 are hungry for leaders who are present, prepared, honest, and unafraid to fight for them.
So I, Kate Denny, ran for State Senate District 10.
I met voters on front porches, in churches, at community events, outside schools, at food banks, and on playgrounds with their children. People are angry and exhausted, trying to convince their elected officials to fight for their basic needs.
Those conversations mattered to me then. They matter to me now.
To every person who supported this campaign, volunteered time, donated resources, shared our message, prayed for us, or simply believed our community deserves people-centered leadership: thank you. I am deeply grateful for the trust nearly 10,000 voters placed in me and for the movement we are building together.
Many people have asked whether I plan to publicly endorse either remaining candidate in the Democratic runoff for State Senate District 10.
My answer is no. Here’s why:
If I believed the remaining choices fully reflected the leadership our district needs, I would not have entered this race in the first place. There is an expectation to endorse a candidate, but political or social pressure will never be a good enough reason to say something I do not believe.
This is not a drill. We are facing serious threats to democratic institutions, voting rights, public education, vulnerable communities, and the rule of law itself.
Elected leaders must be willing to clearly name those threats: championing racism and sexism, eroding free speech, illegal arrests, violating Constitutional rights, disappearing SNAP benefits, gutting public health, taking away health insurance. Elected leaders also have a responsibility to name where those threats are coming from: the MAGA agenda, the current administration, Trump-endorsed candidates. I have not seen that level of urgency or clarity demonstrated by either remaining candidate.
If you can’t name the threats, how can you protect against them?
Serving in the State Senate also requires a serious understanding of the office itself: what state government can and cannot do, and how policy decisions made under the Gold Dome directly affect the daily lives of people in our district.
As this runoff approaches on June 16, we have a civic obligation to keep asking hard questions. Does this candidate understand state government? Will they speak honestly and clearly when it matters most, even when it is uncomfortable? Do they demonstrate courage, preparation, and accountability? Do they understand how federal policies directly affect families in District 10 daily?
To Gabrielle Rogers and Larry Johnson: the nearly 10,000 people who voted for me are paying attention. They are demanding more from their elected officials. They will not accept the bare minimum. They’re looking for a fighter. If either of you thinks winning this election means the hard part is over — that you can disappear once sworn into office, avoid accountability, or coast through your term unchecked — you are mistaken. The people of District 10, including me, deserve leadership that treats public office as a responsibility, not a reward.
At the end of this campaign, what I am walking away with most is hope, not because things are easy right now, but because I have seen firsthand how deeply people still care about each other, their communities, and the future of this state. We are stronger than the fear, stronger than the division, and stronger when we choose to keep showing up for one another.
And for anyone wondering, I’m not going anywhere.
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