Maura Keller

Keller was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, which she describes as South Weymouth, and attended Weymouth South High School; she says she has lived in Fayetteville, Georgia, for 30 years.[3] She enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1978 as a military police soldier, was later commissioned as an officer, and retired as a lieutenant colonel after 26 years; Ballotpedia lists her service as 1978-2004.[3] She earned bachelor's degrees from Excelsior College (1994) and Augusta University (2017), and a military citation from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (1997).[3]

In retirement, Keller says, she worked as a senior consultant in military personnel and readiness, providing analytical support to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and the Chief, Army Reserve.[3] She also earned a degree in Radiologic Sciences (Nuclear Medicine Technology) and, by her own account, worked at the Atlanta VA supporting veterans.[3] She describes receiving the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award among her military honors.[3]

Keller was the Democratic nominee in 2024, losing to Brian Jack 33.7% to 66.3%.[2] In June 2025 she announced that she would seek the nomination again, saying she had spent decades serving in uniform and supporting veterans at the VA.[6] She won the 2026 Democratic primary on May 19, 2026, with 60.8% over George Melville Johnson.[2] She described her campaign as focused on raising the minimum wage and economic opportunity.[2][3] She received 41.4% of the vote to Brian Jack's 58.6%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[1]