ATLANTA, GA - On the first day of Georgia’s 2026 qualifying period, Dr. Everton Blair officially qualified for Congress in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, marking a major milestone for a campaign building clear momentum and a strong contrast in one of Georgia’s most closely watched races.

A campaign grounded in family, service, discipline, and responsibility to the people of this district. Blair enters this phase of the race with growing energy, a broadening coalition, and a message rooted in urgency, accountability, and new leadership for GA-13.

He is the only candidate in this race to earn endorsements from two former GA-13 candidates: Jonathan Bonner and Ron McKenzie. Additionally, he received national support from former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, one of the few Black governors in American history and a former presidential candidate. 

Among Georgia congressional leaders, Blair qualified alongside Reps. Sanford Bishop and Hank Johnson, and moments after incumbent David Scott, who bypassed the line and entered earlier before all the other candidates. Rep. Scott refused to speak to anyone or take any questions before, during, and after qualifying.

“It’s official: I’m on the ballot to retire David Scott in Georgia’s 13th,” said Dr. Everton Blair. “This seat doesn’t belong to one person. It belongs to the families, workers, and communities of GA-13 who deserve someone who shows up every single day and fights like their lives depend on it. Because they do. GA-13 deserves a representative who is present, accountable, and fully in this moment.”

For too long, our district has had a congressman who skips town halls, answers to wealthy interests instead of working families, and didn’t even vote in the 2024 presidential election.

“We’re building a movement for and by the people. This campaign is not built on entitlement nor corporate interests. It is being built by people ready for a representative who is present and fighting, understanding that this seat belongs to the people of GA-13, not to one politician. If you’re ready for a representative who is present and fighting, join us. Let’s win this. Georgia 13 deserves a representative who is present, fighting, and fully engaged in this moment. We are done waiting. Change can’t wait,” Blair said. 

Blair’s campaign centers on a bold, people-first agenda and the urgency of making government work for everyday people.

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About Dr. Everton Blair Jr.
Dr. Everton Blair Jr. is a lifelong resident of Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, born and raised in Gwinnett County to Jamaican immigrants. A former high school math teacher, he built his career as an educator and made history in 2018 as the first Black member and the youngest-ever member elected to the Gwinnett County Board of Education. Blair is running for Congress in Georgia’s 13th District to deliver people-powered leadership that puts working families ahead of corporate donors and political insiders. A community-first leader and organizer, he’s focused on lowering costs, protecting healthcare, defending civil rights, and building an economy that works for everyone, not just the well-connected. Blair supports Medicare for All and replacing ICE with an immigration system rooted in dignity, due process, and accountability. He has also been outspoken against Super PACs designed to drown out everyday people. If elected, Blair would become the first openly gay member of Congress from Georgia.

About Georgia’s 13th Congressional District

In a dramatic redistricting shift in 2023, Georgia’s 13th Congressional District moved north and east, picking up portions of Gwinnett, Rockdale, Newton, and DeKalb counties while maintaining swaths of Clayton and Henry counties. Major cities include: Stockbridge, Jonesboro, Conyers, Covington, Lilburn, Grayson, Lawrenceville, and Snellville. The district remains a Democratic stronghold with a heavily Black populace and voting base. Fast-growing counties like Gwinnett and Rockdale are places where Everton Blair has lived, served, and won.