State Senate District 35 in Georgia State Senate District 35, Georgia

2026 Primary Election

• Elfreda Desvignes — Property management professional in GA

  Elfreda Desvignes, a property management professional, was born in Long Island, New York, and moved to Georgia in 2000. She was nominated for the President's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024 for her work in Cobb County and Atlanta. Desvignes, who changed her party affiliation from Republican to Democratic in May 2024, is running for Georgia State Senate District 35. Her platform includes supporting a state-level Voting Rights Act, advocating for affordable housing and Medicaid expansion, capping insulin prices, criminal justice reform like ending cash bail, and promoting vocational training. She seeks to bring a new generation of leadership, turning community conversations into state laws.

• Erica Denise Solomon — Candidate for State Senate District 35 in GA

  Erica Denise Solomon, a Democratic candidate for Georgia State Senate District 35 in the 2026 primary, was born in Columbia, SC. She holds a bachelor's degree from Bethune-Cookman University and a graduate degree from the University of Georgia, with a professional background in consulting, marketing, and journalism. Solomon advocates for Congressional term limits and aligns with Democratic values, championing reproductive freedom, equality, and robust infrastructure development. Her platform focuses on economic development, empowering small businesses, and improving education, aiming to build a stronger Georgia for her constituents.

• Jaha V. Howard — Incumbent State Senator in Smyrna, GA

  Jaha V. Howard is the incumbent State Senator for Georgia's District 35, sworn in December 2025 and serving until January 2027. A Democrat, he is seeking re-election in the May 2026 primary. Professionally, Howard is a pediatric dentist and the owner of A+ Pediatric Dentistry of Atlanta. He earned his DDS from Howard University and a pediatric specialist certificate from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Senator Howard is a member of several committees, including Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, Government Oversight, Higher Education, and State and Local Governmental Operations. He is married to Vanessa.