Politics
Politics

Republican John LaHood elected to south Georgia House seat

John Lahood, pictured with his wife, Crystal, won a special election Tuesday to represent House District 175 in south Georgia. Photo credit: John LaHood for State House: http://www.lahoodforgeorgia.com/
John Lahood, pictured with his wife, Crystal, won a special election Tuesday to represent House District 175 in south Georgia. Photo credit: John LaHood for State House: http://www.lahoodforgeorgia.com/
By
Feb 14, 2018

John LaHood won a special election Tuesday for a south Georgia seat in the state House of Representatives.

LaHood, a Republican and the CEO of Fellowship Senior Living, defeated three opponents to represent House District 175 on the Georgia-Florida border.

LaHood received about 71 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results. He will replace former Rep. Amy Carter, R-Valdosta, who resigned in November to take a position with the Technical College System of Georgia.

LaHood was trailed by Treva Gear, a Democrat and educator; Coy Reaves, a Republican who is self-employed; and Bruce Phelps, a Republican emergency medical technician.

Stacey Abrams is running for governor.

About the Author

Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.

Follow Mark Niesse on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

With the closure of the labor and delivery unit in St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia, expectant mothers will instead be directed to deliver at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens, about 45 miles away. (Photo Illustration / Getty Images)

Credit: Getty Images

Medicaid cuts ahead prompt Lavonia hospital to shutter childbirth unit

St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital was already struggling. Funding cuts from Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act tipped the scales.

LISTEN

Two major announcements shake up the race for governor in Georgia

The Politically Georgia team discuss two seismic shakeups to the governor's race: Geoff Duncan and Brad Raffensperger.

OPINION

US House Republicans stop time — again — to avoid votes on Trump’s tariffs

Under federal law, once a president declares an emergency and institutes tariffs, Congress can quickly force repeal votes, with action required in 15 days.

The Latest

Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (seen here at a Georgia Chamber Congressional Luncheon in August), announced he'd be running for governor, Wednesday Sept. 17, 2025. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

LISTEN

Two major announcements shake up the race for governor in Georgia

OPINION

US House Republicans stop time — again — to avoid votes on Trump’s tariffs

Medicaid cuts ahead prompt Lavonia hospital to shutter childbirth unit

Featured

The city of Atlanta opened Azalea Fresh Market downtown to help residents find affordable groceries. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Metro Atlanta consumers grapple with higher prices on food, other goods

Inflation recently reached its highest level this year, with prices increasing for food, housing and other necessities.

Raffensperger, who rebuffed Trump in 2020, runs for Georgia governor

He was the Republican who told Donald Trump no. Now the secretary of state is telling Georgia voters he wants to be their next governor.

South Georgia football coach resigns after 0-5 start

Wayne County’s John Mohring resigned Tuesday afternoon, becoming the third GHSA football coach to step down since the season began.