Seven Candidates are vying for a chance to spend Three Months, or less, in Congress in the Special Election, Tuesday Sept. 29th, in Georgia’s 5th District, to Fill the Remainder of the late Civil Rights icon John Lewis’ Term, who died in July.
The Candidates for the Atlanta-based Seat include several Georgia Political Veterans, but they do Not include the Two Major-Party Nominees running on the November Ballot for the Full Term that Starts in January 2021. After Lewis’ Death in July, the Executive Committee of the State Democratic Party chose Party Chairwoman and State Sen. Nikema Williams as their Nominee to Face Republican Angela Stanton-King, who was Unopposed in the June 9th Primary. Williams has said she decided against Running in the Special Election to focus on November and to take care of her family during the Pandemic.
Five Democrats, a Libertarian, and an Independent filed to Run in the Special Election. If No Candidate wins more than 50% percent of the Vote, a Dec. 1st Runoff would be held for the Top Two Finishers.
A handful of the Candidates have nevertheless pulled in Tens of Thousands of Dollars for a Race that could raise their Profiles and place them in Washington during the Lame-Duck Session of One of the most Tumultuous periods of American Politics in recent History.
Special Election Democrat Candidates:
- Former Morehouse College President, Robert Franklin (D), is the Top Fundraiser, with $106,000 raised through Sept. 9th, including a $20,000 Loan the Democrat made to his Campaign. He had spent $60,000 of that as of Sept. 9th, with Money going toward Polling and Yard Signs and other trappings of a more Traditional Campaign. Franklin, who now teaches Theology at Emory University, said that he was motivated to Run by Lewis’ Final Essay, published posthumously by The New York Times in July, which urged “ordinary people with extraordinary vision” to stand up for the Country’s Soul.
- Kwanza Hall (D), a Former Member of the Atlanta City Council and Board of Education who ran Unsuccessfully for Mayor in 2017, raised $54,000 through Sept. 9th and had spent $16,000. He knew Lewis through his father, who was a Staff Member for Martin Luther King Jr. Hall also worked with Lewis as a City Council Member.
Both Franklin and Hall have expressed Center-Left views on a variety of Hot-Button Political Issues in their Rresponses to a Candidate Questionnaire published by the Journal-Constitution, saying they Supported Protecting and Improving the 2010 Health Care Law, a Pathway to Citizenship for Immigrants in the Country Illegally, and Government Efforts to respond to Rlimate Change.
- Running to their Left, Barrington Martin II (D), a Special needs Educator who Unsuccessfully Challenged Lewis in the June Democratic Primary, Raised and Spent about $16,000.
- State Rep. Mable Thomas (D), also a Onetime Atlanta City Council Member.
- Former State Rep. Keisha Sean Waites (D), who Challenged, Rep. David Scott, in the Democratic Primary in the neighboring 13th District in June, and narrowly missed forcing a Runoff.
An outright Winner in the Race would have about Three Months in Office before the Next Congress is Sworn-In Jan. 3rd, but the House is only due to be in Session for Two Days in October and for Three Weeks after the November Election.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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