The daughter of the late U.S. Representative David Scott (D-Ga.) has declared her candidacy for the special election to fill her father's seat in Georgia's 13th Congressional District, according to a report.
Marcye Scott told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week that she had been mulling a political run even before her father's death earlier this month. Now, she views the special election as an opportunity to build on his legacy. 'I would love to be able to fill in the gaps for him,' she said. 'I've got the experience — I can tell you that I know everything about the 13th District, just like him.' In a moment of dark humor, she added, 'I think my father would come back to life and kick my butt if I didn't.'
David Scott, who served in Congress for over two decades, died this month at age 79. He represented a district that spans parts of six counties in the Atlanta metro area, a Democratic stronghold he held easily since his first election in 2002. In 2021, he made history as the first Black lawmaker to chair the House Agriculture Committee. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) hailed him as a 'trailblazer.'
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) has not yet set a date for the special election. The winner will serve the remainder of Scott's term through 2026, after which the midterm election victor will take over. State Senator Emanuel Jones (D), considered a top contender for the November general election, told the AJC he is also weighing a bid in the special race.
This would not be an unprecedented move. Last fall, Representative Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) won a special election to succeed her late father, former Representative Raúl Grijalva, in Arizona's 7th District. And Representative James Clyburn (D-S.C.), 85, recently told The Washington Post he would like his daughter, Jennifer Clyburn Reed, to run for his seat as he considers retirement—though he later filed for reelection before the state deadline.
The contest in Georgia's 13th District is likely to draw national attention, given the district's solidly Democratic lean and the emotional resonance of a family succession. Political observers will watch closely as Kemp sets the election calendar, with the race shaping up as a test of whether voters will embrace a familiar name or seek new representation.
For more on Georgia politics, see our coverage of the narrowing GOP gubernatorial race and the heated debate as early voting begins.
