Georgia’s 13th Congressional District Heads to Runoff Election

Marcye Scott, daughter of the late Congressman David Scott, and former Gwinnett County school board chair Everton Blair Jr. are advancing to a runoff election. This contest is aimed at fulfilling the remaining term of Representative Scott. The election will occur on August 25, following the passing of Congressman Scott earlier this year.

Neither Scott nor Blair secured the needed 50% majority, as reported by the Associated Press. When the race results were announced around 8:45 p.m. Eastern time, Scott held 47.5% of the votes and Blair had 36.1%. Republican Caesar Gonzales placed third with 8.5% of the votes.

This runoff will determine who completes the late Congressman’s term in Atlanta’s Democratic-leaning 13th Congressional District. This election does not impact the upcoming full-term election starting in January. That position will be decided in the November election, following the May primary. Democratic state Rep. Jasmine Clark emerged victorious in May with around 56% of the vote, positioning her against Republican Jonathan Chavez in November.

The August runoff will feature the top contenders from the special election. Georgia law dictates that a candidate must secure over 50% of the vote for an outright win. If not, the top two candidates progress to a runoff. Despite six names on the ballot, Democrat Tony Brown was disqualified after a check for the qualifying fee bounced.

Marcye Scott decided to run following her father’s funeral, declaring her intention to continue his work and commitments, particularly his federal funding initiatives. She cited her extensive experience working with her father’s campaign efforts over two decades. “That’s really why I’m running: to complete that,” she expressed.

Everton Blair, her opponent, has a background in education, serving as a Gwinnett County Board of Education member since 2018 and as chairman from 2021. Blair’s academic credentials include degrees from Harvard University and Stanford University. His campaign focuses on education policy and his experience on the school board.

The winner of the runoff will impact the Democratic presence in the House. Currently, Republicans hold 218 seats in contrast to the Democrats’ 212, amid four vacancies. Bringing in the Georgia winner, Democrats would gain a seat if they win the runoff against the Republican-contingent of 219 members.

This district covers parts of Clayton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Henry, and Newton counties, and all of Rockdale County. Historically, David Scott secured this district with 72% of votes, reflecting its Democratic lean. The district similarly showed support for Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.