Air Force veteran, educator and nonprofit founder advances to November general election. If elected, Nikki would become the first Black woman elected to serve as a state Labor Commissioner anywhere in the United States.

ATLANTA, GA — June 17, 2026 — Nikki Porcher has officially won the Democratic primary runoff for Georgia Commissioner of Labor, securing the Democratic nomination for the November 3, 2026 general election. She will face Republican incumbent Bárbara Rivera Holmes. If elected, Nikki would become the first Black woman elected to serve as a state labor commissioner anywhere in the United States, a milestone that belongs not just to Georgia, but to the nation.

Porcher’s victory caps a grassroots campaign built on lived experience and relentless organizing. She finished first in a competitive five-person May primary, earning more than 310,000 votes statewide, before advancing to tonight’s runoff. Her coalition spans labor advocates, small business owners, veterans’ organizations, educators, and working families across all 159 Georgia counties — united behind a vision of a Department of Labor that finally works for the people it was built to serve.

“Tonight belongs to every Georgian who ever filed for unemployment and hit a wall, every small business owner who needed a partner and found none, every worker who deserved better and kept going anyway. We are just getting started,” said Porcher.

Her Story

Porcher’s path to this moment is the story of Georgia’s working people. She served her country in the United States Air Force before earning her college degree, a decision she credits with opening doors she once couldn’t see. As a single mother, she knows what it means to balance work, family, and survival without a safety net. As a public school art teacher, she watched her paycheck fall short while her students’ needs grew. As a homeowner, she has real skin in the game of Georgia’s economic future.

In 2016, Porcher founded Buy From A Black Woman, a nationally recognized Atlanta-based nonprofit that has supported hundreds of Black women-owned businesses through education, funding, events, and an online business directory. The organization has drawn recognition from more than 1,500 nominations across 36 nations. Porcher was named “Thought Leader of the Year” by the American Business Awards® from a field of more than 3,700 nominees.

“I know what it looks like to navigate a system that wasn’t built for you — as a veteran, as a single mom, as a small business owner, as a Black woman. That’s not a liability. That’s exactly the kind of experience Georgia’s Labor Commissioner needs,” said Porcher.

What She Will Do

As Commissioner, Porcher will modernize the Department of Labor to eliminate the delays and bureaucratic barriers that leave workers stranded when they need help most, a failure laid bare during the COVID-19 pandemic. A 2025 report from the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute found the department “remains unprepared to handle recession-level demands.” Porcher has made closing that gap central to her campaign.

She will advocate for policies that support affordable child care, fair pay, safe workplaces, and career pathways that sustain families, and will center small businesses as engines of workforce growth. Georgia added only 2,500 net jobs in the 12 months ending March 2026, with an unemployment rate of 3.5%. Porcher argues the department must be proactive, accessible, and built to respond, not reactive and overwhelmed.

“Michael Thurmond was the last Democrat to hold this office, serving Georgia workers from 1998 to 2011. It is time to bring that commitment back, and this time, bring it forward,” added Porcher.

With the Democratic nomination secured, Porcher is now focused on building the broadest possible coalition of voters heading into November. She is calling on Georgians of all backgrounds — workers, job seekers, small business owners, veterans, and families — to join a campaign that puts people first.

“I’m grateful to every Georgian who made their voice heard in this election. Our democracy is strongest when people participate, and I look forward to bringing people together to build a Georgia where work works for everyone," said Porcher.

About Nikki Porcher

Nikki Porcher is a United States Air Force veteran, former public school educator, single mother, homeowner, entrepreneur, and founder of Buy From A Black Woman — a nationally recognized nonprofit supporting Black women-owned businesses across the country. A Southwest Atlanta resident with deep roots across Georgia, Porcher has spent her career at the intersection of workforce development, small business advocacy, and community building.

Her work has been recognized by the American Business Awards® and by organizations spanning 36 nations. She is a Research Fellow at the Center for Black Entrepreneurship. Porcher brings to this race something no resume alone can convey: she has lived the challenges facing Georgia’s workers, job seekers, and small businesses, and has spent her career building real solutions. This is the foundation on which she will lead the Department of Labor.

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