The Georgia Democratic Party has named its chairwoman, Senator Nikema Williams, to replace the late Congressman John Lewis on the ballot in November. Lewis, the Civil Rights Legend and longtime Georgia U.S. Representative, died Friday after battling pancreatic cancer.
Williams, was the Georgia state senator arrested during protests at the Georgia Capitol in 2018 against the outcome of the gubernatorial race. Then Governor-elect Brian Kemp, had been accused as Secretary of State, of purging voter rolls and giving himself the edge in the race against Stacey Abrams.
In March Williams announced that she had tested positive for COVID-19. She later called on Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to suspend an antiquated law that made wearing a face mask in Georgia a misdemeanor.
Vying for a full two-year term, Williams will face former reality star and Republican Angela Stanton King in the November election.
After a Sunday evening deadline for applications, on Monday a Democratic Party of Georgia nominating committee whittled down the list of 131 replacement applicants to 5 with Williams being the ultimate nominee.
The nominating committee included: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms; DuBose Porter, former DPG chairman; Stacey Abrams, former Democratic leader of the Georgia House; Jason Carter, former state senator; Glen Paul Freedman, DPG State Committee member and Resolutions Committee Chair; LeWanna Heard Tucker, Chair of the Fulton Democratic Committee; and John Jackson, Chair of the DeKalb County Committee.
The final 5 applicants were Williams, Georgia State Representative Park Cannon, Georgia NAACP President James Woodall, Atlanta City Councilman Andre Dickens, and former Morehouse College President Robert Franklin.
Governor Brian Kemp has 10 days to name someone to fill the 5th Congressional District seat for the remainder of the term which ends in January.