State Senate District 7 in Georgia State Senate District 7, Georgia

2026 Primary Election

• Astrid S. Ross — Educator and mental health advocate in Atlanta, GA

  Astrid S. Ross, a Democratic candidate for the Georgia State Senate District 7, is an Atlanta native and a long-term Gwinnett educator and mental health advocate. As a mother of five who has built her life in Gwinnett, Ross is campaigning on issues impacting families, specifically focusing on educational funding and mental health resources. She aims to help District 7 sustain its status as a good place to raise a family. Ross is currently running in both a special election and the regular Democratic primary for the State Senate seat in 2026.

• Rahul Garabadu — Civil rights attorney in Norcross, GA

  Rahul Garabadu is a civil rights attorney and Norcross resident, the son of Indian immigrants. A graduate of Georgetown University and Harvard Law School, he dedicated his career to civil rights, working as an ACLU lawyer and civil rights prosecutor. He is running as a Democrat for Georgia State Senate District 7 in 2026. His campaign priorities include affordability, expanding Medicaid and reducing healthcare costs, protecting voting access, and advocating for immigrant communities against government overreach. He aims to ensure Georgia is a place where all families can thrive.

• Ruwa Romman — Incumbent State Representative in Atlanta, GA

  Ruwa Romman is an incumbent Democratic State Representative for Georgia's District 97, serving since January 2023. A groundbreaking figure, she is the first Palestinian and Muslim woman elected to the Georgia House. Born in Jordan, she moved to the U.S. at age seven and pursued higher education at Oglethorpe University and Georgetown University. Romman initially launched a campaign for Georgia Governor in 2026 but later withdrew, citing concerns over "dark money" influence and insufficient funding. She has now shifted her focus to run for a State Senate seat in District 7, competing in the Democratic primary on May 19, 2026.

• Aizaz Shahbaz Shaikh — Real estate broker in Lawrenceville, GA, GA

  Aizaz Shahbaz Shaikh is a Republican candidate for Georgia State Senate District 7, running in both the 2026 primary and a special general election. With a background as a real estate broker, he also served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve from 2013 to 2016. He earned a bachelor's degree from Gwinnett College in 2017, having also studied Business Management at Georgia Gwinnett College. Shaikh’s policy stances include addressing affordability through early education in money management and improving access to homeownership by reducing property taxes, expanding first-time homebuyer programs, and offering housing education. He is affiliated with the American Red Cross and Angels of Honor.