Democratic Victory in Georgia’s 13th District Special Election

Everton Blair has emerged victorious in the special election runoff to fulfill the remaining term of the late Rep. David Scott in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District. Blair overcame Marcye Scott, the daughter of David Scott, despite her initial lead in the first round of voting last month.

The 13th District encompasses areas within metro Atlanta and remains a stronghold for Democrats. Blair will occupy the seat until early January when the winner of the upcoming general election in November will assume office.

Earlier this year, Blair participated in the primary for a full term but was defeated by Jasmine Clark, a Democratic Georgia state representative. Clark will face Republican Jonathan Chavez in the November election for the Congressional seat, whose official term begins in January 2027.

David Scott served the district for over 20 years until his death on April 22 at the age of 80. During his time, he aspired to secure a 13th term amidst a competitive Democratic primary featuring Jasmine Clark and others.

In the 2024 elections, Scott secured approximately 72% of the vote within the district, mirroring Vice President Kamala Harris’s performance, who achieved about 71% against President Donald Trump’s roughly 28% in the presidential race.

Marcye Scott entered the runoff after obtaining around 46% of votes in the special election held on July 28, against Blair’s 38%. Her failure to reach a majority led to Blair’s victory in the subsequent runoff.

Blair’s win reinstates voting representation for Georgia’s 13th District, contributing additional Democratic support in the narrowly split House for the remaining months of the 119th Congress. Although the late David Scott’s congressional office activities continued under House clerk supervision, voting duties were suspended post his demise.

Blair’s campaign website highlights his accomplishments, including earning graduate degrees from Stanford and Harvard and working with the Obama administration’s White House Initiative on Educational Excellence. His election in 2018 to his county’s school board marked him as the first Black and youngest-ever member in that role.