Vending

Suspicious object in vending machine shuts down campaign event

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May 13, 2026

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A suspicious object discovered inside a vending machine at Middle Georgia Regional Airport prompted a law enforcement response Tuesday morning ahead of a campaign stop by Brad Raffensperger, according to a 13 WMAZ news report. Authorities temporarily closed the airport while investigators examined the item, delaying Raffensperger's scheduled "Standing for Georgia" fly-around event. Raffensperger, a Republican, is running for governor of Georgia in the 2026 election.

The sheriff's office said a canine unit conducting a security sweep ahead of the event alerted officers to a potentially suspicious object inside the vending machine. A bomb squad later examined the item and determined there were no hazardous devices present. Officials said there were no patrons inside the airport during the investigation, and the airport has since reopened.

Before authorities cleared the scene, Raffensperger's campaign described the situation as an "active threat" and said the candidate would not be intimidated. Raffensperger later said his campaign would allow law enforcement to complete its investigation before providing further updates.