Election Update: Runoff for David Scott’s Congressional Seat Set
Marcy Scott, the daughter of the late Georgia state Rep. David Scott, alongside former Gwinnett County School Board Chair Everton Blair Jr., advanced to a runoff set for August 25. This special election aims to fill the remainder of the late Rep. Scott’s term, which begins in January.
As reported by the Associated Press, neither candidate achieved the necessary 50% majority needed for an outright win. The race was officially called at around 9:15 p.m. ET. Voting commenced at approximately 8:45 p.m. ET, with 85% of the expected votes counted. Scott secured 47.5% of the vote, while Blair received 36.1%. Republican Cesar Gonzalez came in third with a mere 8.5%.
This runoff will determine who completes the remaining weeks of the term in Atlanta’s Democratic-heavy 13th Congressional District, the same district held by the late congressman who passed away in April at 80. However, this runoff won’t decide the representative for the next full two-year term, which is set to begin in January. A primary election for that term was conducted in May, with the general election scheduled for November 3.
Democratic Rep. Jasmine Clark won the May primary with around 56% of the vote, and she’ll square off against Republican Jonathan Chavez in November. Blair, who also participated in the May primary, finished third with about 12%…
In this special election, all candidates, regardless of party, appeared on the ballot. Georgia law stipulates that candidates must achieve at least 50% of the votes to win outright. If not, the top two candidates proceed to a runoff. Six names were on the ballot, but Democrat Tony Brown was disqualified after his qualification fee check bounced, meaning his votes won’t count, as noted by the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office.
The remaining candidates were Scott, Blair, Gonzalez, attorney Carlos Moore, and Republican candidate Faith Park.
Scott announced her intention to run for the special election during her father’s funeral in early May. She positions herself as the candidate to finish her father’s unfinished work, especially concerning his pending federal funding requests. She emphasized her involvement alongside her father for over 20 years, actively participating in campaigns, fundraising, and community outreach.
“After my father’s passing, many city officials asked what would happen to these projects,” Scott shared, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “That’s why I’m running. To see it through.”
Blair, who will compete against Scott in the runoff, was first elected to the Gwinnett County Board of Education in 2018 and later became the school board president in 2021.
According to Blair’s campaign information, he has a background as a high school math teacher, and he holds a bachelor’s in applied mathematics, a doctorate in educational leadership from Harvard, and a master’s in policy, organizations, and leadership from Stanford. His campaign has focused on his experiences in education policy and his time on the Gwinnett County School Board.
The upcoming runoff will be pivotal for shaping the House. Currently, Republicans have 218 seats against Democrats’ 212, with four vacancies. If the winner from Georgia is sworn in, Democrats will hold 213 seats compared to 219 for Republicans.
The 13th District encompasses parts of Clayton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Henry, and Newton counties, as well as all of Rockdale County. David Scott previously won this district in 2024 with about 72% of the votes, and in that year’s presidential election, Kamala Harris garnered around 71% of the precinct’s votes against Donald Trump’s 28%.
