Wilson appears to have won Democratic runoff in superintendent’s race

Valarie Wilson appears to have held off state Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan in the Democratic runoff for Georgia school superintendent.

Wilson, former chairwoman of the City Schools of Decatur school board, led from the outset Tuesday, and, with nearly all of the counties reporting their results, had a solid lead over Morgan.

“I am grateful for the support I received from people all over Georgia who believe in public education, our children and who will stand shoulder to shoulder with me to move Georgia forward in education,” Wilson said. “I believe every child deserves a quality education, effective teachers and strong schools.”

Morgan, who has represented Austell in the state House for a dozen years, upset many in her party by supporting a 2012 constitutional amendment that clarified the state’s authority to create charter schools.

While that amendment was approved by voters, some of her Democratic colleagues — who opposed the amendment — were unhappy that she allied herself with conservative Republicans on that issue.

If Wilson’s lead holds, she would face the winner of the Republican runoff, in which longtime Irwin County educator Richard L. Woods and Mike Buck, chief academic officer for the state Department of Education, were locked in a virtual tie.