Winner serves only remaining months of congressman’s final term
Everton Blair, the former Gwinnett County School Board chair, and Marcye Scott, daughter of the late congressman, are the two finalists in Tuesday’s special election runoff. The pair emerged as the top vote-getters among five contenders in the July 28 all-party special election. Marcye Scott received about 46% of the vote and Blair about 38%, with both falling short of a majority and advancing to the runoff.
Blair was the only special-election contender who also ran for the district’s next full term. He placed third in the May 19 Democratic primary with about 12% of the vote. State Rep. Jasmine Clark won that primary with about 56% and will face Republican Jonathan Chavez in the November general election. Chavez ran unopposed for the GOP nomination. In the 2024 general election, he had challenged David Scott and received about 28% of the vote.
Because both runoff candidates are Democrats, the result will not change party control of the seat. Once a Democrat is seated, the contest will further reduce an already thin Republican majority in the U.S. House.
The winner of Tuesday’s runoff will serve only the remaining few months of David Scott’s final term, with the next full term in the seat beginning Jan. 3, 2027.
David Scott, a Democrat, represented the district outside Atlanta. His death on April 22 triggered the special election to fill the remainder of his term.