U.S. Rep. David Scott is facing multiple Democratic primary opponents in his bid for a 12th congressional term in a reconfigured suburban Atlanta district. Despite the challengers, the 78-year-old is pushing ahead with his campaign, ignoring the criticism that he is too old and disconnected from young voters. Concerns about Scott’s health and age may not be resonating broadly with voters, as many are still trying to figure out which district they now live in due to changes in the congressional map.
The new congressional map, approved by a judge after overturning the previous one as racially discriminatory, has shifted Scott’s 13th District north and east into Rockdale County and parts of Newton and Gwinnett counties. Voters in Rockdale County seem to be confused about their new representative, with many not knowing much about Scott besides his long tenure in Congress. While Scott’s campaign has put up billboards and signs in the district, he hasn’t been making public appearances, leading some opponents to criticize his absenteeism.
Democratic opponents of Scott, including Marcus Flowers, have raised concerns about Scott’s reliance on corporate and PAC contributions, questioning his alignment with the district’s needs. Flowers, who gained national attention for his fundraising against Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in 2022, believes he can confront extremists if elected. While Flowers has raised significantly less money than Scott, other candidates like former East Point City Councilmember Karen René are also in the race, focusing on local government and business development.
Scott’s opponents, including attorney Brian Johnson and former South Fulton City Councilman Mark Baker, are running to his left, criticizing his alignment with Republicans and calling for a shift towards Democratic priorities. Johnson is running as an actual Democrat focused on Democratic issues, while Baker advocates for progressive policies like ending no-knock police raids, decriminalizing marijuana, and paying reparations to descendants of slaves. Other Democratic challengers, such as Rashid Malik and Uloma Kama, bring their own perspectives to the race, with a potential runoff on June 18 if no candidate wins a majority on May 21.
Despite the challenges from his Democratic opponents, Scott’s campaign remains confident in his ability to secure another term in Congress. His wife and campaign advisor, Alfredia Scott, asserts that her husband is the best choice among the candidates and when he decides to leave, it will be on his own terms. The winner of the Democratic primary will face the winner of the Republican primary in November, either Jonathan Chavez or Johsie Cruz Fletcher, as they compete for the suburban Atlanta district seat in the upcoming congressional election.
