Incumbent Democrat Rep. David Scott will be facing off against six primary opponents later this month while he seeks a 12th term in the reconfigured Georgia’s 13th congressional district in suburban Atlanta as some Democrats voice concerns that the 78-year-old may be too old and out of touch to appeal to younger voters.
Scott’s Democrat challengers accuse the long-time congressman of acting as if he has the election in the bag. While his campaign has spent money on billboards and signs within the 13th District, Scott failed to participate in the debate hosted by the Atlanta Press Club.
Progressive challenger Brian Johnson accused Scott of trying to “sneak” into office by expecting voters to keep him in power until he decides to retire or pass on his seat “like it’s a cigarette.”
Another Democrat challenger, Army veteran Marcus Flowers, made national headlines in 2022 after raising an unprecedented $17 million to challenge Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in GA-14. Despite the astounding fundraising numbers, Flowers received only 34 percent of the vote in the heavily Republican district.
Flowers said he is challenging Scott over the incumbent’s longtime reliance on corporate contributions and political action committees.
While Flowers raised big challenging the pro-Trump Greene, his fundraising this time around has been anemic. As of the end of March, Flowers raised only $142,000 in the primary with only $30,000 cash on hand while Scott raised nearly a million with over half a million in the bank.
Another Democrat challenger is Karen René, a former city council member from East Point. René is the only other candidate in the primary that has raised any money in the campaign.
Scott is also facing a challenge from far-left former South Fulton city councilman Mark Baker, pro-Hamas candidate Rashid Malik, and public health advocate Uloma Kama.
Rep. Scott downplayed questions about his age in February, saying he was “in good health.”
The congressman’s wife Alfredia Scott said her husband would not be “pushed out” of office but would leave when he “decides to leave.”
