Everton Blair projected to win Georgia House runoff, defeating Marcye Scott for late Rep. David Scott’s seat

A special election runoff in Georgia for the remainder of the late Rep. David Scott’s term in the state House concluded Tuesday with Everton Blair projected to defeat Marcye Scott, the daughter of the former congressman and candidate for the seat, according to Decision Desk HQ as reported by The Hill.

The contest centered on filling an open seat after the death of David Scott, a long-serving Georgia member of Congress, and the winner was set to take office for the remainder of his term rather than beginning a new full term.

In the runoff, Blair, a former chair of the Gwinnett County School Board, advanced after coming in behind Marcye Scott in the initial round, The Hill reported. The runoff outcome determined who would represent the district for the rest of the scheduled term.

Marcye Scott sought the seat as her father’s successor, while Blair ran on his background in local education governance, a factor that played into attention around the district’s next representative.

The Hill reported that Decision Desk HQ projected Blair’s victory once returns were tallied, moving the race from an initial round in which Marcye Scott held the early advantage to a decisive runoff finish.

Election officials in Georgia typically require runoff elections for certain special contests when no candidate reaches the threshold in the first vote. The practical effect of Tuesday’s result is that the district will now have representation through the end of the current term without waiting for a general election.

With the runoff certified through standard state procedures, the winner will assume the seat for the remaining months of the term, affecting local legislative priorities and committee assignments for the remainder of the session.