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6th Congressional District · 2026 U.S. House · Unofficial result

U.S. House, 6th District: what did each candidate actually say they'd do?

IN PLAIN ENGLISH

Rep. Lucy McBath (D) ran against Republican Kevin E. Martin. With all 159 counties reporting, McBath leads by 200,788 votes. Results are unofficial until certified. Check your own address on the Georgia Secretary of State's My Voter Page to confirm your district.

McBath leadsAll counties reporting; unofficial until certified1
80.90%McBath (D)1
19.10%Martin (R)1
200,788Vote margin of 324,904 cast1

Do they have a plan?

We read every issue on each candidate's own website and checked the same six things for every one. We count what's there. We don't grade whether the ideas are good. Read the full scoring rules

Of the issues on their website, how many...Kevin E. MartinLucy McBath
Names a policy10 of 10
5 of 11
Says how they'd do it6 of 10
1 of 11
Includes a number or target0 of 10
0 of 11
Says how it's paid for0 of 10
0 of 11
Gives a timeline0 of 10
0 of 11
Points to a record0 of 10
3 of 11

The candidates, side by side

Each topic shows every candidate's own words on it, in alphabetical order, from their own website. "Nothing on this topic" means their site doesn't cover it. Topic rows are grouped by us from their headings; the scores don't change.

Kevin E. MartinRepublican
Lucy McBathDemocrat
Who they are
Kevin E. Martin
Controller for 30 years, by his own account.2 His site points to no elected office. Each of his ten issue pages links to two to four longer articles; all twenty were saved, read and cited as sources, and each was scored with the issue it is linked from.
Lucy McBath
Her site calls her "Congresswoman McBath"33, so she is shown as the sitting member. Her Issues page is a single page and links to no plan documents or longer pieces. Much of it is from an earlier term: it says "President Biden has delivered a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation's aging infrastructure" and "The White House's plan will create millions of jobs nation-wide"33. Her Home page has no text beyond a donation form.
Guns
Kevin E. Martin
The Second Amendment"A federal roster of who owns what is a different thing, and he opposes it." Linked article: "Prosecute the cases that already exist."11, 27, 28
Names a policy
Lucy McBath
Gun Safety"Congresswoman McBath is proud to have sponsored gun safety legislation and supported several measures which passed the House." Her About page names the measures: "universal background checks for all gun sales and Red Flag Laws to limit access to firearms for those who are potentially dangerous."3433, 34
Names a policyPoints to a record
Immigration and the border
Kevin E. Martin
Nothing on this topic
Lucy McBath
Immigration and DACA"It is time to pursue comprehensive immigration reform for our fellow neighbors and families living in fear and new regulations for humane border management."33
None of the six checks
Health care
Kevin E. Martin
Prescription Drug Costs"If other developed countries pay a lower price for the same medication, that should be the ceiling for what the federal government pays." Linked article: "Contract preferences for domestically manufactured critical drugs create demand without a new subsidy program."8, 21, 22
Names a policySays how they'd do it
Community Hospitals"Make federal payment reflect what rural and low-volume care actually costs." Linked articles: "Site-neutral payment. Same service, same rate, regardless of who owns the building." "Lift or substantially raise the 15 percent cap."9, 23, 24
Names a policySays how they'd do it
Lucy McBath
Health Care"She supports proposals making it easier for more Georgians to get covered and to expand upon the Affordable Care Act (ACA)." Record: "her tireless efforts in Congress sent the Centers for Disease Control additional pandemic related funding to protect the health of our entire communities."33
Names a policyPoints to a record
Housing
Kevin E. Martin
Housing"Open federal land for people to build on." "Congress can decide to make it available for housing, with incentives for individuals rather than only large developers."6, 17, 18
Names a policy
Lucy McBath
Nothing on this topic
Schools and education
Kevin E. Martin
Schools"Send the money back without the strings. Congress can pass education funding through to states and localities without dictating how it gets used." Linked article: "Send it as a block grant and hold them to outcomes."3, 13, 14
Names a policy
Lucy McBath
Education"She supports fully funding K-12 education and making public universities, vocational schools, and community colleges more affordable." Record on this heading: "She is proud to have created the Champion in the Making Legacy Foundation for high schoolers wishing to attend traditional and vocational schools."33
Points to a record
Child care and families
Kevin E. Martin
Wages and Working Families"The federal minimum wage has to clear the cost of living, and keep pace." Linked article: "Taper instead of cutting off. Benefits should phase out gradually enough that another dollar earned always leaves a household better off."7, 19, 20
Names a policySays how they'd do it
Lucy McBath
Women's Rights"she opposed the G.O.P. plan to take away healthcare from thousands of Georgians by defunding Planned Parenthood."33
Names a policy
Energy and environment
Kevin E. Martin
Nothing on this topic
Lucy McBath
Environment"an unwavering ally of President Biden's efforts to deliver urgently necessary investments to our nation's green infrastructure"33
None of the six checks
Roads, transit and infrastructure
Kevin E. Martin
Nothing on this topic
Lucy McBath
Infrastructure"Congresswoman McBath supports funding projects to bring our roads, airports, and transit into the 21st century."33
None of the six checks
Crime and public safety
Kevin E. Martin
Crime and Policing"Fund law enforcement properly, and stop treating it as a bargaining chip." Linked article: "Fund and require the reporting so that a judge in one state can see what happened in another."10, 25, 26
Names a policy
Lucy McBath
Nothing on this topic
Ethics, term limits and money in politics
Kevin E. Martin
Nothing on this topic
Lucy McBath
Money in Politics"she will support any legislation to increase transparency of our campaign finance system."33
None of the six checks
Budget, debt and spending
Kevin E. Martin
The Federal Budget"Pass the twelve bills separately, and vote on them separately." Also: "A mandatory public availability window before any spending vote, measured in days, not hours." Page: "End earmarks and pork-barrel spending."5, 16, 30, 31
Names a policySays how they'd do it
Lucy McBath
Nothing on this topic
Taxes, jobs and the economy
Kevin E. Martin
Jobs and the Trades"If federal student aid is going to exist, it should be usable for shorter technical and certification programs that lead directly to a job, not only for multi-year degrees." Linked article: "Extend eligibility to the longer technical and licensure programs that lead directly into the licensed trades, and keep the completion and placement thresholds attached to it."4, 15, 32
Names a policySays how they'd do it
Lucy McBath
Jobs and The Economy"Congresswoman McBath believes we must do all we can to deliver President Biden's agenda for Georgia's working families."33
None of the six checks
Defense and foreign policy
Kevin E. Martin
Defense"Establish the minimum level of supply and readiness required to defend the country, and write it down as a number rather than a feeling." "If we drop below it, then there should be a provision in the budget that states we must elevate back up to that benchmark that's been established."12, 29, 31
Names a policySays how they'd do it
Lucy McBath
Israel"I also support a common sense two state solution."33
Names a policy
Rights and freedoms
Kevin E. Martin
Nothing on this topic
Lucy McBath
LGBTQ Rights"She fought to pass the Equality Act, which would proscribe discrimination of LGBTQ individuals in several areas including in the workplace, housing, and credit and financial assistance."33
Names a policySays how they'd do it
Their record
Kevin E. Martin
  • Says he "has spent 30 years as a controller" and is "a fifth-generation native of Cobb County."2
  • Tells of one audit at an earlier employer: "The payroll officer was adding their own family members to the payroll. The fraud stopped". The page names no company and no date.2
  • His site points to no elected office and no votes.
Lucy McBath
  • Her About page says she "ran against an NRA-backed incumbent, and won by 1.5 points."34
  • Says she is "proud to have worked on numerous pieces of legislation which have been passed through the House, including universal background checks for all gun sales and Red Flag Laws"34
  • Says "Lucy has also sponsored legislation protecting our veterans which was signed into law." The bill is not named.34
In their words
Kevin E. Martin

"I promise you will always be in charge, and your voice will matter most."

Kevin E. Martin, campaign Home page2

"Constantly asking the question of why our constituents are suffering is how we get to better solutions."

Kevin E. Martin, campaign Home page2
Lucy McBath

"Lucy's work in Congress has been focused on working across the aisle and passing laws to help our children and families."

Lucy McBath, campaign About page34

"She refuses to stop fighting until the threat of gun violence no longer permeates our communities."

Lucy McBath, campaign Issues page33
Where we read it
Kevin E. Martin
Website: kevinmartinforcongress.com/issues/ (checked 11/5/2026)
Lucy McBath
Website: lucyforcongress.com/issues/ (checked 11/5/2026)

The middle

Where they agree

  • Both want help for people training for skilled work. McBath wants "vocational schools, and community colleges more affordable"33 Martin wants student aid "usable for shorter technical and certification programs that lead directly to a job"4
  • Both say money shouldn't be sold to the highest bidder. McBath: "We cannot afford them to be sold off to the highest bidder."33 Martin: "Special interests have learned the federal government's pocket is the easiest one to reach into"5
  • Both say no family should have to pick between health care and other bills. McBath: "No family should have to worry about choosing between paying their bills and paying for healthcare."33 Martin: "Nobody should be choosing between a prescription and a grocery bill"8

Where they really split

  • Guns: McBath is "proud to have sponsored gun safety legislation"33 and cites "universal background checks for all gun sales and Red Flag Laws"34 Martin: "No national gun registry." On red flag laws he says "Any such law has to clear a high bar for due process"11
  • School funding: McBath "supports fully funding K-12 education"33 Martin: "All funding for education should be maintained and kept at the state and local levels"3
  • Spending: McBath "supports funding projects to bring our roads, airports, and transit into the 21st century"33 Martin wants "every other program justify itself before it gets another appropriation"5

What each one leaves out

  • Martin's Issues page lists ten topics. It names a policy on all ten and spells out how on six of them (with the linked articles), but gives no cost or date for any, and immigration, abortion and the environment aren't among the topics. It points to no earlier office or votes.2, 5
  • McBath's Issues page has eleven headings. It names a policy on five, spells out how on one (the Equality Act), and gives no cost or date for any. Much of the text is from an earlier term and refers to "President Biden's agenda"33
Sources (checked 11/5/2026)
  1. Georgia Secretary of State results, unofficial (all 159 counties reporting, last updated Nov 4, 2026 12:13 PM): results.sos.ga.gov/results/public/Georgia/11032026GeneralAndSpecialElection
  2. Kevin Martin campaign, Home: kevinmartinforcongress.com/
  3. Kevin Martin campaign, Issues: Schools: kevinmartinforcongress.com/issues/schools
  4. Kevin Martin campaign, Issues: Jobs and the Trades: kevinmartinforcongress.com/issues/trade-jobs
  5. Kevin Martin campaign, Issues: The Federal Budget: kevinmartinforcongress.com/issues/budget
  6. Kevin Martin campaign, Issues: Housing: kevinmartinforcongress.com/issues/housing
  7. Kevin Martin campaign, Issues: Wages and Working Families: kevinmartinforcongress.com/issues/wages
  8. Kevin Martin campaign, Issues: Prescription Drug Costs: kevinmartinforcongress.com/issues/drug-prices
  9. Kevin Martin campaign, Issues: Community Hospitals: kevinmartinforcongress.com/issues/rural-hospitals
  10. Kevin Martin campaign, Issues: Crime and Policing: kevinmartinforcongress.com/issues/crime
  11. Kevin Martin campaign, Issues: The Second Amendment: kevinmartinforcongress.com/issues/second-amendment
  12. Kevin Martin campaign, Issues: Defense: kevinmartinforcongress.com/issues/defense
  13. Kevin Martin campaign, article: Let This District Solve Its Own Problem: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/let-this-district-solve-its-own-problem
  14. Kevin Martin campaign, article: The Education Department Is Being Taken Apart. The Strings Are Still Attached.: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/the-education-department-and-the-strings-still-attached
  15. Kevin Martin campaign, article: Washington Finally Made Pell Grants Work for Short-Term Training: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/make-federal-aid-work-for-the-trades
  16. Kevin Martin campaign, article: I Close Books for a Living: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/pass-an-actual-budget-and-hold-to-it
  17. Kevin Martin campaign, article: Washington Is Opening Federal Land for Housing: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/federal-land-for-housing-and-what-it-means-for-georgia
  18. Kevin Martin campaign, article: Making Credit Easier Is Not the Same Thing as Making Housing Affordable: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/keep-lending-standards-honest
  19. Kevin Martin campaign, article: The Benefit Cliff: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/aim-federal-support-at-people-who-are-working
  20. Kevin Martin campaign, article: The Federal Minimum Wage Has Not Moved Since 2009: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/the-federal-minimum-wage-has-not-moved-since-2009
  21. Kevin Martin campaign, article: The Same Pill, the Same Factory, the Same Company: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/stop-paying-more-than-everyone-else-for-prescriptions
  22. Kevin Martin campaign, article: A Supply Chain You Cannot See Is Not a Supply Chain: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/bring-critical-drug-manufacturing-home
  23. Kevin Martin campaign, article: When One System Owns Every Hospital in the Region: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/enforce-antitrust-against-regional-medical-monopolies
  24. Kevin Martin campaign, article: Congress Put $50 Billion Into Rural Health: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/fifty-billion-for-rural-health-capped-at-fifteen-percent
  25. Kevin Martin campaign, article: An Arrest Does Not Mean Much If the Same Person Is Back Out That Afternoon: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/fix-the-federal-side-of-the-release-problem
  26. Kevin Martin campaign, article: Almost Nothing About Policing in This District Is Decided in Washington: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/what-congress-actually-controls-on-crime
  27. Kevin Martin campaign, article: A List of Lawful Owners Does Not Solve a Crime: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/no-national-gun-registry
  28. Kevin Martin campaign, article: Point Federal Law at the People Who Have Actually Done Something: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/focus-federal-law-on-people-who-have-done-something
  29. Kevin Martin campaign, article: Start With the Inventory, Not the Check: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/set-a-real-readiness-benchmark
  30. Kevin Martin campaign, article: An Audit Is Not an Accusation: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/audit-everything-else
  31. Kevin Martin campaign, article: Eight Failed Audits in a Row: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/no-open-checkbook
  32. Kevin Martin campaign, article: Georgia Tech Figured This Out a Century Ago: kevinmartinforcongress.com/articles/the-model-that-already-works-in-our-own-backyard
  33. Lucy McBath campaign, Issues: lucyforcongress.com/issues/
  34. Lucy McBath campaign, About Lucy: lucyforcongress.com/about/