CANDLER COUNTY, Ga. () — A local superintendent has announced that he will be running in the in the 2026 election for Georgia State School Superintendent.

Candler County Superintendent Fred “Bubba” Longgrear, PhD, will be entering the race for Georgia State School Superintendent.

Longgrear has been in education for 29 years in Georgia. He has served two districts and is entering his 11th year as the Superintendent of Schools in Candler County.

According to his campaign website, “The leadership and the work of the Department will be operating in the mode of listening to all stakeholders, including parents and teachers, to stay abreast of current needs. The desire is to ‘return public education to the families.'”

Longgrear is challenging incumbent Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods. Woods was first elected in 2014 and will be seeking re-election for a fourth term in the 2026 election. 

The Georgia State School Superintendent will take place November 3, 2026.