Atlanta —  Republican voters outpaced their Democratic counterparts by more than 285,000 votes in Tuesday’s primary election — a first in the state’s history.

Overall, about 1.1 million Georgians — or 22 percent of active registered voters — cast ballots in the gubernatorial contest, which drew the most votes. Observers say Republicans were likely energized by last-minute endorsements in a more compelling race.

GOP frontrunner Karen Handel, who hails from Roswell, dominated metro Atlanta, where the majority of voters live, and all of the Republican candidates for governor did well in their own backyards. Roy Barnes, seen all along as the Democratic nominee, dominated the state and was likely bolstered by black voter turnout, trouncing Thurbert Baker, who sought to become the state’s first African-American governor. Barnes received 874 votes to Baker’s 335 in Sumter.

Handel also carried Sumter County (384 votes), with John Oxendine a close second (365 votes) in Sumter but a distant fourth in the state. Nathan Deal garnered 231 votes in Sumter County.

After emerging from a crowded field of Republicans vying for governor, Deal and Handel now turn their attention to a three-week runoff battle to win over conservative voters.

The victor will take on Democrat Barnes in November.

A close race in the Democratic primary for state labor commissioner could end in a recount.

 Darryl Hicks lead longtime state lawmaker Terry Coleman by 526 votes out of more than 331,000 cast in Tuesday’s primary. That’s a margin of less than 1 percent, which allows Coleman to petition for a recount.

In Sumter County, Coleman had 590 votes to Hicks’ 597.

Hicks ran on his more than 20 years experience working for the parent company of Atlanta Gas Light. Coleman is a former Georgia House speaker.

The winner will face Republican Rep. Mark Butler in the general election. Democrats have held the office of labor commissioner since it was created in 1938.

In Sumter County, Butler took 719 votes to Melvin Everson’s 441.

The past president of the Georgia Agribusiness Council won the Republican primary Tuesday for state agriculture commissioner, a post held by a Democrat for more than 40 years and responsible for regulating and promoting a $7 billion industry.

Unofficial returns showed Republican Gary Black, a beef farmer, winning roughly three-quarters of the primary vote for agriculture commissioner in a race with Darwin Carter, a former U.S. Department of Agriculture official, with 98 percent of precincts reporting. The winner will face former state Sen. J.B. Powell, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Black received 1,050 votes in Sumter, to Carter’s 220.

The primary for agriculture commissioner was remarkable since it was the first race in four decades not to include the incumbent, 81-year-old Democrat Tommy Irvin, who will step down in January. Irvin is among the longest-serving elected officials in the country and remained a Democrat even as his party lost its dominance across the South to the Republicans.

In the Republican primary for state insurance commissioner, Senate Insurance Committee Chairman Ralph Hudgens and attorney Maria Sheffield advanced to a runoff election after they both took about 20 percent of the vote in a crowded nine-way race. Democrat Mary Squires ran unopposed in her party’s primary for the seat.

Hudgens received 225 votes in Sumter County to Sheffield’s 203.

Another runoff will decide the Republican primary for a seat on the Public Service Commission after conservative activist Tim Echols won 35 percent of the vote compared to 28 percent for his nearest competitor, state Sen. John Douglas. The winner will face Democrat Keith Moffett, who ran unopposed in the primary.

In Sumter County, Echols got 444 votes to Douglas’ 277.

Democrats have held the labor commissioner’s office since it was created in 1938. The current commissioner, Michael Thurmond, served for a dozen years before deciding this year to run for U.S. Senate.

Thurmond carried Sumter County with 1,091 votes to Rakeim “RJ” Hadley’s 152. Thurmond faces incumbent Johnny Isakson in November. Isakson received 1,146 votes in Sumter County.

Former prosecutor Ken Hodges scored a resounding victory Tuesday over rival state Rep. Rob Teilhet in the Democratic race for the state’s first open attorney general’s seat in more than 60 years.

In Sumter County, Hodges out polled Teilhet 918 to 316.

Hodges will face the winner of an Aug. 10 runoff between Cobb County Commission chair Sam Olens and state Sen. Preston Smith in the general election. Olens had 40 percent of the vote and state Sen. Preston Smith took 31 percent to come in second ahead of ex-U.S. Attorney Max Wood.

In another high-profile race, Democrat Carol Porter won her party’s nomination Tuesday for the right to challenge Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle for the state’s No. 2 job.

Porter received 783 votes in Sumter to McCracken’s 346.

Porter, the wife of House Minority Leader and gubernatorial candidate DuBose Porter, has run her husband’s political campaigns for 26 years and decided this year to run herself for the first time.

Two Republicans and three Democrats competed for spots in the general election race for the state’s top education post — which was thrown wide open after incumbent Kathy Cox resigned in May.

Democrat Joe Martin — a longtime Atlanta school board member who previously ran for the job — enjoyed the most name recognition and won a spot in the November contest. He earned 55 percent of the vote, edging out former Georgia State University administrator Beth Farokhi and high school teacher Brian Westlake.

Locally, Martin received 754 votes, Farokhi 303 and Westlake 129.

On the Republican side, Bartow County schools administrator John Barge earned 52 percent of the vote to defeat Irwin County schools official Richard Woods.

In Sumter, Barge took 587 votes to Woods’ 584.

In another closely watched race, Secretary of State Brian Kemp earned the Republican nod as he sought to defend his seat for the first time since he was appointed in January after Karen Handel resigned to run for governor. Kemp, a former state senator, had 59 percent of the vote to lead former Sandy Springs Councilman Doug MacGinnitie.

Locally, MacGinnitie outpolled Kemp 763 to 559.

State Sen. Gail Buckner led the crowded Democratic field with 35 percent of the vote. She’ll advance to a runoff against state Rep. Georganna Sinkfield of Atlanta who clinched second place with about 22 percent of the vote.

Buckner garnered 439 votes in Sumter County to Sinkfield’s 214. Angela Moore got 249 votes locally.

Democrat U.S. Congressman Sanford Bishop will face Thomasville native Republican Mike Keown in November.

Keown outpolled contenders Rick Allen (110) and Lee Ferrell (92) in Sumter County with 1,234. Statewide he received over 80 percent of the votes.