Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux wins primary for open seat in Georgia suburbs
WASHINGTON _ Public policy professor Carolyn Bourdeaux was declared the outright winner Tuesday of a crowded Democratic primary in suburban Atlanta, as absentee ballots continued to be counted a week after the chaotic June 9 elections.
Bourdeaux had 52.7% of the vote in Georgia's 7th District in tallies posted Tuesday afternoon, when The Associated Press called the race. Candidates in Georgia primaries need to exceed 50% of the vote to win a nomination or they face a runoff with the second-place finisher. Bourdeaux was below that level last week, when the AP said she would face a runoff with Rep. Brenda Lopez Romero, who had 12.4 percent. Progressive activist Nabilah Islam was a close third in the six-candidate field, with 12.3 percent.
Bourdeaux was the 2018 Democratic nominee and unexpectedly came within 1 percentage point of beating GOP Rep. Rob Woodall. Woodall was one of the first House members to announce his retirement this cycle.
She will face GOP nominee Rich McCormick in November. McCormick won his primary with 55% of the vote. His campaign was boosted by a Trump endorsement and outside group spending after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, when McCormick started tweeting videos bolstering Trump's response.
_CQ-Roll Call
