U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson, who has represented a congressional district that includes the south Metro Atlanta suburbs since 2019, announced Thursday he will not seek re-election next year.
The Pike County Republican said in a statement that he decided to retire and spend more time in his West Georgia home with his wife and family.
“Georgia is truly a special place, and it’s calling us home,” Ferguson said. “Julie and I look forward to spending more time with our children and grandchildren while continuing to work to keep Georgia the best state in America to live and do business.”
Ferguson’s Third Congressional District includes parts of west Georgia south of Atlanta, west of Macon and north of Columbus. As it’s currently drawn, the seat is considered solidly Republican.
However, Georgia’s congressional map was recently redrawn and a judge has scheduled a hearing next week to determine whether it meets his directive to create a new Black-majority district. With Ferguson announcing he will not seek another term, that means Republicans will have one less incumbent to try to protect if that map is rejected.
Ferguson has struggled to find his place in House GOP leadership ever since the party won a thin majority in the 2022 elections. A former chief deputy whip, Ferguson attempted to be promoted to GOP whip, but he lost that election at the end of last year.
In the months that passed, Ferguson grew frustrated with the hardliners in his party as they wielded new influence and ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his post. What ensued was a contentious three-week battle to name McCarthy’s successor with Ferguson regularly siding with the establishment.
After ultra-conservatives’ nominated one of their own, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, as speaker, Ferguson decided against supporting him and said he received death threats as a result. Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson was ultimately promoted House speaker.
Ferguson, a dentist by trade, grew up in West Point but relocated last year to a home in Pike County 63 miles away. The State Board of Elections is investigating a complaint filed after Ferguson voted at his old precinct in Upson County throughout 2022, an apparent violation of state laws requiring people to register to vote where they live.
After the 2020 election where then-President Donald Trump falsely claimed to have won contested states like Georgia, Ferguson raised concerns about election fraud. However, he ultimately voted to uphold Joe Biden’s election as president and was also one of just two Georgia Republicans who voted with Democrats to accept electoral college ballots from contested states.
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