Georgia general election: November 3, 2026
Who is running for U.S. House, Georgia District 5 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for U.S. House, Georgia District 5 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in U.S. House District 5.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | John "Bongo" SalvesenRepublican | Nikema WilliamsDemocrat |
|---|---|---|
| Income taxes | No public position | Raise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programsVoted · medium |
| Safety net programs | No public position | Expand help for childcare, housing and paid family leaveVoted · medium |
| Minimum wage | No public position | Raise it higher and tie it to the cost of livingOfficial action · medium |
| Healthcare | No public position | Government-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)Official action · medium |
| Abortion | No public position | Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)Official action · medium |
| Guns | No public position | All of that, plus ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazinesOfficial action · medium |
| Immigration | Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadyQuestionnaire answer · low | Tighter border security plus a path to legal status for long-time residentsVoted · medium |
| Politicians trading stocks | No, ban it for members and their spousesSaid · low | No single answer fits; see evidence |
| Marijuana | No public position | Legalize it and clear past convictionsVoted · medium |
| Redistricting | No public position | Independent commissions draw maps, with a national ban on partisan gerrymanderingVoted · medium |
| Campaign finance | No public position | Overturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaignsVoted · medium |
| Supreme Court reform | No, keep nine justices with life tenure and let the Court police its own ethicsQuestionnaire answer · medium | Add term limits and ethics rules, and expand the Court beyond nine seatsOfficial action · medium |
| Death penalty | No public position | Abolish it and use life without parole insteadOfficial action · medium |
| Qualified immunity | No public position | No, end it for police so officers or departments can be sued for rights violationsVoted · medium |
| Drug prices | No public position | Negotiate more drugs and extend the insulin and yearly cost caps to private insuranceVoted · medium |
| Childcare and pre-K | No public position | Offer free pre-K to every 4-year-old, and expand childcare aidVoted · medium |
| Paid leave | No public position | Create a national paid family and medical leave program plus paid sick daysVoted · medium |
| Aid to Ukraine | No public position | Restore strong U.S. aid and add tougher sanctions on RussiaVoted · medium |
John "Bongo" Salvesen
RepublicanPrivate citizen
John "Bongo" Salvesen is the Republican nominee in Georgia's 5th District, where he faces incumbent Nikema Williams1. He says he decided to run after going undercover in his journalistic work and concluding that voters get proper representation from neither party3.
Where they stand 4 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Supreme Court reformNo, keep nine justices with life tenure and let the Court police its own ethicsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- In his 2024 AJC and Atlanta Civic Circle voter guide questionnaire he said he is satisfied with the current Supreme Court system and is not interested in trying to change the Constitution or the courts. (2024-10) source
ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadylow
Questionnaire answer · low confidence- In his 2024 AJC and Atlanta Civic Circle questionnaire he said he supports a strong border and a fast track citizenship agenda for the worthy immigrants wanted here. (2024-10) source
Politicians trading stocksNo, ban it for members and their spouseslow
Said · low confidence- His campaign website says that if elected he will own no stock, because he believes it is a conflict of interest. (2026) source
Term limitsNo single answer fitslow
Questionnaire answer · low confidence- In his 2024 AJC and Atlanta Civic Circle questionnaire he said he believes in term limits and plans to serve only two terms himself. (2024-10) source
No public position found on: Income taxes, National debt, Social Security, Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Trade and tariffs, Foreign policy, Energy and climate, Judges, Marijuana, Redistricting, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, Aid to Israel, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.
Nikema Williams
Democrat · IncumbentU.S. Representative, Georgia District 5
Nikema Williams is the Democratic nominee and incumbent in Georgia's 5th District and has served in the U.S. House since January 20211. She served in the Georgia State Senate from 2017 to 2021 and worked at Planned Parenthood Southeast and the National Domestic Workers Alliance before that1.
Where they stand 24 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Income taxesRaise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which set a 15% minimum tax on large corporations and a tax on stock buybacks to help pay for energy and health programs. (2022-08-12) source
- Voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which made the 2017 individual tax cuts permanent at every income level. (2025-07-03) source
Safety net programsExpand help for childcare, housing and paid family leavemedium
Minimum wageRaise it higher and tie it to the cost of livingmedium
Official action · medium confidence- Cosponsored the Raise the Wage Act of 2021, which would raise the federal minimum wage in steps. (2021-01-28) source
- Cosponsored the Raise the Wage Act of 2025 (H.R. 2743), which would raise the federal minimum wage to $17 an hour by 2030 and then adjust it each year with median wage growth. (2025-04-08) source
HealthcareGovernment-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)medium
Official action · medium confidence- Cosponsored the Medicare for All Act in the 117th, 118th and 119th Congresses. (2025-04-29) source
- Voted against the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, a private-market bill on association health plans and PBM transparency. (2025-12-17) source
- Her campaign website says she continues to lead the fight to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare. (2026) source
- Voted for restoring the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits for three years. (2026-01-08) source
AbortionLegal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)medium
Official action · medium confidence- Voted for the Women's Health Protection Act, which would protect abortion access nationwide before viability and later when a patient's life or health is at risk. (2021-09-24) source
- Voted for the Women's Health Protection Act of 2022, which would protect abortion access nationwide before viability and later when a patient's life or health is at risk. (2022-07-15) source
- Cosponsored the Women's Health Protection Act of 2023 (H.R. 12). (2023-03-30) source
- Cosponsored the Women's Health Protection Act (H.R. 12) in 2025. (2025-06-24) source
GunsAll of that, plus ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazinesmedium
Official action · medium confidence- Cosponsored the Assault Weapons Ban of 2021 (H.R. 1808). (2021-03-11) source
- Voted for the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022, which would ban the sale of many semi-automatic assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. (2022-07-29) source
- Cosponsored the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 (H.R. 3115). (2025-04-30) source
ImmigrationTighter border security plus a path to legal status for long-time residentsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the American Dream and Promise Act, which offered a path to citizenship for Dreamers and some long-time TPS holders. (2021-03-18) source
- Voted for the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which offered legal status to long-time farmworkers and required E-Verify in agriculture. (2021-03-18) source
- Voted against the Secure the Border Act, which funded border wall construction and tightened asylum rules. (2023-05-11) source
- Voted against the Secure America Act, which provides about $70 billion for immigration enforcement and border security. (2026-06-09) source
MarijuanaLegalize it and clear past convictionsmedium
RedistrictingIndependent commissions draw maps, with a national ban on partisan gerrymanderingmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the For the People Act, which would require independent commissions to draw congressional maps and ban partisan gerrymandering. (2021-03-03) source
Campaign financeOverturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaignsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the For the People Act, which created small-donor public matching funds, required disclosure of big donors and called for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. (2021-03-03) source
- Cosponsored H.J.Res. 13, a constitutional amendment to let Congress and the states regulate campaign money and enact public financing. (2023-01-11) source
Supreme Court reformAdd term limits and ethics rules, and expand the Court beyond nine seatsmedium
Death penaltyAbolish it and use life without parole insteadmedium
Official action · medium confidence- Cosponsored the Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act of 2023. (2023-02-21) source
Qualified immunityNo, end it for police so officers or departments can be sued for rights violationsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would end qualified immunity for police officers in civil rights lawsuits. (2021-03-03) source
Drug pricesNegotiate more drugs and extend the insulin and yearly cost caps to private insurancemedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would cap insulin costs at $35 a month for people with Medicare and private insurance. (2022-03-31) source
Childcare and pre-KOffer free pre-K to every 4-year-old, and expand childcare aidmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the Build Back Better Act, which funded free universal pre-K and expanded childcare aid. (2021-11-19) source
Paid leaveCreate a national paid family and medical leave program plus paid sick daysmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the Build Back Better Act, which created a national paid family and medical leave program. (2021-11-19) source
- Cosponsored the FAMILY Act, which would create a national paid family and medical leave program. (2025-09-16) source
- Cosponsored the Healthy Families Act, which would let workers earn paid sick days. (2026-02-12) source
Aid to UkraineRestore strong U.S. aid and add tougher sanctions on Russiamedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the $40 billion Ukraine aid package in May 2022. (2022-05-10) source
- Voted for the $61 billion Ukraine security supplemental in April 2024. (2024-04-20) source
- Voted for the Ukraine Support Act, which provides military aid and loans to Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia. (2026-06-04) source
Energy and climateNo single answer fitslow
Politicians trading stocksNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against the Stop Insider Trading Act, a stock purchase ban for members that also carried voter ID provisions. (2026-07-22) source
Mandatory minimumsNo single answer fitslow
E-Verify mandateNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against the Secure the Border Act, which would require all employers to use E-Verify. (2023-05-11) source
Transgender athletesNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidenceAid to IsraelNo single answer fitslow
No public position found on: National debt, Social Security, Business regulation, Trade and tariffs, Foreign policy, Judges, Term limits, Electoral College, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.