Georgia Runoffs Don't Cut Into GOP Control of Legislature

Georgians went to the polls Tuesday in special runoff elections to fill three seats in the state General Assembly, alongside a separate contest for the U.S. House seat formerly held by Marjorie Taylor Greene.

All three state-level races produced expected results, leaving Republicans with wide majorities in both chambers.

Newsmax and Decision Desk HQ called state Senate District 53 for Republican Lanny Thomas, state House District 94 for Democrat Venola Mason, and state House District 130 for Democrat Sheila Clark Nelson.

Thomas defeated Democrat Jack Zibluk 68.7% to 31.3% to replace former Sen. Colton Moore, who resigned to run in the Republican primary for Georgia's 14th Congressional District seat previously held by Greene. Clay Fuller won the GOP primary and defeated Democrat Shawn Harris in Tuesday's runoff.

Mason defeated fellow Democrat Kelly Kautz 68.5% to 31.5%. She won the seat vacated by former state Rep. Karen Bennett, a Democrat who resigned after pleading guilty to making false statements. The Department of Justice alleged Bennett defrauded taxpayers by receiving pandemic unemployment assistance to which she was not entitled.

Nelson defeated Republican Thomas McAdams 70.7% to 29.3% to replace former Rep. Lynn Heffner, a Democrat who resigned because of state constitutional residency requirements after her primary residence sustained severe structural damage during Hurricane Helene, according to WFXG-TV.