The 1946 Governors Race was a highly contentious and competitive race in which Eugene Talmadge, a staunch segregationist, defeated incumbent governor Ellis Arnall in the Democratic primary. However, Talmadge died before taking office, leading to a controversial and complex succession crisis. Ultimately, the state legislature elected Talmadge's son, Herman Talmadge, to fill the governorship. This event highlighted the deep divisions within Georgia politics at the time and solidified the Talmadge family's power in the state.
