Microbiologist one step closer to winning late Democrat’s seat after surviving crowded Dem primary

Georgia state Rep. Jasmine Clark won the Democratic primary race Tuesday night in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, setting up a November match-up against Republican Jonathan James Chavez in the race to succeed late Rep. David Scott.

The Democratic Party primary marks the first major step in replacing Scott, a longtime Democratic member of Congress who represented the deep blue metro Atlanta district for more than two decades before his death in April. The heavily Democratic seat is expected to remain in the party’s hands in November. Scott was in the seat since 2003, until his death last month.

While the crowded primary made potential for a runoff, Clark won fairly handily Tuesday with almost 60% of the vote. Other candidates who ran included former Gwinnett County school board member Everton Blair Jr., state Sen. Emanuel Jones, dentist and reality television personality Heavenly Kimes, and dentist Joe Lester.

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The Democratic Party primary for Georgia’s 13th District had drawn multiple Democratic challengers, even before the seat became open following Scott’s death last month.

Scott’s death came after ballots had already been finalized, leaving his name on the Democratic primary ballot even though votes for him did not count, according to Georgia election officials.

The 80-year-old congressman was seeking a 13th term at the time of his passing, but despite his long tenure, Scott had drawn multiple challengers in Tuesday’s primary amid intraparty concerns about his age, health and visibility.

Scott’s death changed the stakes of the race overnight, turning what had been a challenge to a long-serving incumbent into an open-seat contest in one of Georgia’s safest Democratic districts.

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Clark will take on Republican Jonathan James Chavez, who is running unopposed for his party’s nomination, during the November midterm general election.

Chavez, an Air Force veteran and father of four, is running as the Republican in the heavily Democratic district after losing to Scott by more than 40 points in 2024, underscoring the Democratic tilt of the metro Atlanta seat.

Clark, meanwhile, is a microbiologist and mom who became a member of Georgia’s House in 2018 after defeating a longtime Republican incumbent.

State officials will soon be scheduling a special election to fill Scott’s vacancy until either Clark or Chavez are selected and sworn into office in January.

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