GWINNETT COUNTY, GA – Ron McKenzie, an attorney and business strategist, announced today that he is suspending his campaign for Congress and endorsing Dr. Everton Blair for Congress in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District (GA-13), citing the high stakes of the election and the need for experienced, strategic representation.

“As this campaign moved forward, it became clear that the field had grown increasingly crowded with candidates who were not prepared for the job…This campaign was never about me,” Ron McKenzie said. With so much at stake, we cannot allow a crowded field to fracture the vote… That is why I am suspending my campaign effective immediately and endorsing Everton Blair for Congress.” 

McKenzie emphasized his alignment with Blair’s priorities for working families, democracy, and pragmatic leadership. “Everton shares my belief in building an economy that works for working people, defending democracy and our individual freedoms, and leading with strategy and substance rather than rhetoric,” McKenzie said, adding that Blair “has the experience, judgment, and commitment this moment demands.” 

McKenzie also pledged to stay engaged in the race and in the district. “While I am suspending my campaign, the work does not stop here,” he said. “I will be working alongside Everton to organize, engage voters, and make sure Georgia’s 13th District has the leadership it deserves.”

Dr. Everton Blair commended McKenzie’s courageousness stepping forward to lead in this moment of urgency and welcomed his endorsement with humility and a shared commitment to service and results.

“Ron brings seriousness, integrity, and a clear commitment to working people,” Dr. Everton Blair said. “I’m honored to earn his support and will continue to do the work of  building a winning coalition focused on affordability by lowering costs, protecting our freedoms, and delivering for families across GA-13.”

See Ron McKenzie's full statement here.

###

About Ron McKenzie

Ron McKenzie is an attorney, business strategist, and community leader. Raised in a working-class family, he graduated from Mundy’s Mill High School in Georgia’s 13th District and was the first in his immediate family to attend college. He earned degrees from Emory University, Harvard Law School, and Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

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.

Learn more, get involved, or sign up: EvertonBlair.com