To read all of JAMES Magazine Online’s daily news, SUBSCRIBE HERE. *Subscription includes a complimentary subscription to JAMES Magazine.

Longtime U.S. Rep. David Scott passed away on April 22nd in the midst of a reelection campaign, triggering a tricky special election to fill his seat through the end of the year.  That race, it was announced today by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, will take place on Monday, June 29, with qualifying set to begin next week. A runoff, if needed, has been set for August 26th.  

The race is totally separate from the ongoing Democratic primary scheduled for later this month, the winner of which will be heavily favored in November’s general election.  

Votes cast for Scott in the primary will not be counted, so the door is wide open for one of Everton Blair, Jasmine Clark, Jeffree Fauntleroy, Emanuel Jones, Heavenly Kimes or Joe Lester to win a full term in November (likely after a runoff).  Republican Jonathan Chavez awaits the Democratic nominee in the general election, but likely stands little chance in a district Scott won by more than 40 points in 2024.

The left-leaning 13th Congressional District includes parts of six metro Atlanta counties: Clayton, Henry, Rockdale, Newton, DeKalb and Gwinnett.

Already Scott’s daughter, Marcye Scott, has announced she will run to fill her father’s seat for the rest of 2026, saying at his funeral that “He would have it no other way.”

It remains to be seen if any of the candidates currently in the primary will jump into July’s special election – but they may not even bother.  That’s not without precedent in Georgia; when former U.S. Rep. John Lewis passed away in 2020, Kwanza Hall won the special election to succeed him and served for all of one month until Nikema Williams was seated to begin her full term in the seat.