A GOP candidate won a special election in Georgia to fill a vacant state Senate seat.

Business owner Jason Dickerson defeated Democrat Debra Shigley in a runoff after no candidate secured a majority to take the seat in August.

“Dickerson won by 9,432 votes to Shigley’s 7,009 votes,” Atlanta News First stated.

“Conservatives in District 21 sent a strong message: woke liberal ideology has no place here,” Dickerson said in a statement, according to the Associated Press.

“I’m looking forward to taking office and fulfilling their mandate to champion the America First values that make us the greatest state to live, work, and raise a family,” he added.

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Dickerson’s victory keeps Republicans’ 33-23 advantage over Democrats in the state Senate. The Cherokee County resident replaces Brandon Beach, who was appointed U.S. Treasurer by President Donald Trump back in March.

Beach, a Republican, was first elected to the seat in 2013 and most recently won re-election last November.

On Aug. 26, seven candidates — six Republicans and one Democrat — vied for the seat. Shigley shocked many political reporters and pundits when she received a little more than 39% of the vote in a heavily Republican district.

Because no candidate got more than 50% of the vote, the election was set for a runoff.

Dickerson defeated Shigley 57.4% to 42.6%.

President Trump won the district by 34 points in the 2024 election.

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The Associated Press shared further details:

Shigley’s finish in the August election drew attention from Democrats nationally, who said it was a sign of Democratic enthusiasm and frustration with Trump’s policies. On Saturday, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin traveled to Georgia to campaign with Shigley in Alpharetta, a bustling suburb 26 miles (42 kilometers) north of Atlanta.

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State Senate Democrats said grassroots organizing built momentum that could help them flip seats in 2026 races for governor, U.S. senator and other offices.

Shigley, the only Democrat in the special election, won 40% of the vote in the heavily Republican district. Georgia Republican political strategist Brian Robinson said Democrats generally perform well in low-turnout races like that one.

 

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