National

Georgia governor sets special election date for Scott's seat

By Daniela Altimari, CQ-Roll Call The Tribune Content Agency
Then U.S. Rep. David Scott, D-Ga.,questions Fed Chair Jerome Powell during the House Committee on Financial Services hearing on Oversight of the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve Pandemic response on June 30, 2020, in Washington, D.C. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday, May 1, 2026, set a July 28 special election in the state’s deep blue 13th District to fill the seat of Scott’s term, who died in April at age 80. (Bill O'Leary/Pool/Getty Images/TNS)
Then U.S. Rep. David Scott, D-Ga.,questions Fed Chair Jerome Powell during the House Committee on Financial Services hearing on Oversight of the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve Pandemic response on June 30, 2020, in Washington, D.C. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday, May 1, 2026, set a July 28 special election in the state’s deep blue 13th District to fill the seat of Scott’s term, who died in April at age 80. (Bill O'Leary/Pool/Getty Images/TNS) Bill O'Leary TNS

WASHINGTON - Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday set a July 28 special election in the state’s deep blue 13th District to fill the rest of former Rep. David Scott’s term, which ends in January.

Scott died last month at 80 and his daughter, Marcye Scott, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that she plans to run in the special election. However the filing window to run for a full term closed in March.

Under Georgia law, candidates of all parties will run on the same special election ballot. If no one gets a majority of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a runoff.

Apart from the special election, the district is home to a competitive Democratic primary for a full term.

Even before Scott’s death, a crowd of Democrats had been campaigning for the seat, including Emory University professor and state Rep. Jasmine Clark, educator Everton Blair and state Sen. Emanuel Jones. Rounding out the field are dentist Joe N. Lester, faith leader Jeff Fauntleroy Sr. and dentist Heavenly Kimes, who stars in the reality show “Married to Medicine.”

The metro Atlanta district sweeps across the city’s southern and eastern suburbs. Inside Elections rates the race Solid Democratic; Scott won his 2024 contest with more than 70% of the vote.

The primary for the full term is May 19 and early voting is already underway. Scott’s name remains on the ballot because he died after ballots were printed.

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