There were three special election runoffs Tuesday in Georgia, two between pairs of Republicans and one pitting a Democrat against a member of the GOP.
In HD 146, vacated by former House Majority Leader Larry O’Neal, (now chief judge on the Georgia Tax Tribunal) Shaw Blackmon defeated fellow Republican Larry Walker III by a final tally of 57% to 43%. Blackmon, from Bonaire in Houston County, is president and CEO of National Bank Products in Warner Robins.
Down in District 155 Republicans Horace Hudgins and Clay Pirkle faced off following a contested special election between four candidates in July. The seat was left open following Jay Roberts’ appointment to planning director of the Georgia Department of Transportation. Pirkle took home a victory Tuesday by a 59%-41% margin. Pirkle, a farmer who lives in Turner County, enjoyed heavy support from Tift County, which makes up the bulk of the district.
By far the most hyped race was in Brookhaven’s, HD 80, where former Brookhaven Mayor J. Max Davis, a Republican, squared off with Democrat Taylor Bennett. The race received particular attention after Bennett surprisingly finished first in July, raising questions as to whether the Republicans’ supermajority in the state house might be in question. The seat was vacated when Republican Mike Jacobs was appointed to Judge of the DeKalb County State Court by Governor Nathan Deal.
Endorsements soon came rolling in, as Bennett received help from some of his former Georgia Tech football teammates such as Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, as well as some political allies in gubernatorial candidate Jason Carter and House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams. Doubts remained though – the seat had been under Republican control for the better part of a decade and generally featured GOP wins by wide margins.
Those endorsements clearly paid dividends as Bennett scored an upset victory over Davis, 54%-46%. A landmark victory for a Democratic Party that has severely lacked those in Georgia as of late, as the minority party now regains the ability to block GOP-backed constitutional amendments that under the Republican supermajority could pass through the house unblocked. The result also gives Democrats control of Fulton County’s legislative delegation.
See the full results HERE
