Runoff Set for Georgia’s 13th District Special Election

Marcye Scott, daughter of the late Congressman David Scott, and Everton Blair Jr., former Gwinnett County school board chair, are heading to a runoff on August 25. They seek to complete the late Congressman’s term in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District. Neither candidate gained the 50% majority needed to win outright in the special election, as reported by the Associated Press.

With around 85% of votes counted by 8:45 p.m. Eastern time, Scott led with 47.5%, followed by Blair with 36.1%. Republican candidate Caesar Gonzales trailed behind with 8.5%. The runoff will decide who fills the remaining weeks of Congressman Scott’s term after his passing in April at age 80. This election does not impact who will serve the full term starting in January, which will be decided in the general election set for November 3.

“Right after my dad passed, many in local leadership were concerned about ongoing projects,” Scott shared. “That’s my motivation: to complete his work.”

Democratic state Rep. Jasmine Clark previously won the May primary for the full-term seat with about 56% of the vote and will face Republican Jonathan Chavez in November. Blair, who also ran in May’s primary, secured roughly 12% of the vote.

In Georgia’s single-ballot system for special elections, a candidate must secure over 50% to win immediately, otherwise, the top two advance to a runoff. The ballot listed six candidates, though votes for Democrat Tony Brown didn’t count due to a bounced qualifying fee check. Remaining candidates included Carlos Moore and Fayth Park.

Scott launched her campaign at her father’s funeral, emphasizing her experience working with him on federal funding and community initiatives. Blair, with an academic background in education and prior board service, highlights his expertise in education policy. His educational credentials include a bachelor’s in applied mathematics, a doctorate in education leadership from Harvard, and a master’s in policy from Stanford.

A win in the runoff would enhance the Democratic representation in the House. Currently, Republicans hold 218 seats to the Democrats’ 212. The late Congressman David Scott previously secured the district with 72% support. During the last presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris earned 71% of the district’s vote.