(The Center Square) – The daughter of late Democratic U.S. Rep. David Scott led a field of five candidates in the contest for his 13th Congressional District seat but did not get enough votes Tuesday to avoid a runoff.
Marcye Scott, a Democrat, received more than 46% of the votes. Georgia law requires candidates to win 50% plus one – a majority – of the vote to avoid a runoff.
Scott will face Everton Blair in an Aug. 25 runoff. Blair received more than 37% of the votes cast.
Other candidates were Republican Caesar Gonzales, who received 8.67%; Republican Fayth Park, who received 4.74%; and Democrat Carlos Moore, who received 3.12%.
The winner of the primary will serve the last few months of David Scott’s term. He qualified for office but died on April 22.
Not running in the special election are the two candidates who will vie for a two-year term in November. State Rep. Jasmine Clark, a Democrat and Republican Jonathan Chavez will be on the general election ballot in November.
The 13th District covers Rockdale County and portions of Clayton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Henry and Newton counties.