Bentley Hudgins has spent a decade helping Georgians claim a say in the decisions that shape their lives. A voting rights organizer and union member who served as Georgia state director for the Human Rights Campaign, they helped lead coalitions that defeated every anti-LGBTQ+ bill introduced in the state in 2024 and 2026.
Now the Japanese American, nonbinary candidate hopes to bring that organizing experience to Georgia’s House District 90. Hudgins won the Democratic primary with 66.02 percent of the vote, a result they say set a district record for a contested open primary.
Their work reaches beyond elections. Hudgins helped expand access to ballot drop boxes during the pandemic, connected Georgians with vaccines, and secured investment for gun violence reduction and redevelopment in their community.
They also know what it means to need a community’s help. Hudgins has experienced homelessness, job discrimination, and years of deafness caused, they say, by medical neglect. “Through all of this, my friends and community have carried me,” they say. “That’s why I love us, queer people, so much.”
Their message to voters extends beyond the ballot box: Join a mutual aid group, protest, or speak at a city council meeting. “In other words: organize.” @bentley_hudgins
