Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux wins Georgia House primary, avoids runoff after final count

Carolyn Bourdeaux won last week’s Democratic primary in Georgia’s 7th District and will advance to the November general election after earlier appearing to be heading to a runoff. 

The Associated Press initially said Bourdeaux would compete in a runoff in the race to replace retiring Rep. Rob Woodall (R-Ga.) after she appeared to have fallen short of the 50 percent threshold.

However, the AP on Tuesday called the race for Bourdeaux, a professor at Georgia State University, after a final tally of votes.

Bourdeaux was leading with 53 percent of the vote, with 100 percent of precincts reporting, well ahead of state Rep. Brenda Romero and Nabilah Islam, who each received around 12 percent. Three other candidates split the remainder.

In November, Bourdeaux will face Republican Rich McCormick, a former military pilot and emergency room physician who won his primary last week.

Bourdeaux is running for a second consecutive time for the seat after losing to Woodall by fewer than 500 votes in 2018. 

The Cook Political Report rates the race as a “toss up.”

Results for primary races across the country have been delayed by the surge in absentee ballots as states reduce in-person options amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, Georgia’s June 9 elections were disrupted by problems with the new voting machines that were in use.