Republicans hold Middle Georgia Senate seat after special election runoff
Georgia Senate Republicans will soon add a new member to their caucus, after Steven McNeel emerged from Tuesday’s special election runoff.
An attorney who also manages a timber farm, McNeel will represent the Macon-based Senate District 18.
McNeel received about 59% of the votes cast and defeated LeMario Brown, a Democrat, according to unofficial results from the secretary of state’s office. McNeel could not immediately be reached on Tuesday.
He and Brown emerged from a six-way special election last month. A runoff was required because no candidate received more than 50% of the vote.
McNeel will finish the term of John F. Kennedy, R-Macon, who stepped down last year to focus on his run for lieutenant governor.
Democrats have made it a point to challenge every race for the past year’s several special elections, rallying behind one candidate and overperforming in districts routinely held by Republicans.
In most cases where a runoff was required, the Democrat initially received the most votes over several Republican candidates, but ultimately lost. A Democrat flipped an Athens-area House seat last year.
Brown, a former Fort Valley councilman and small-business owner, said, despite the trend, he had hoped to have a similar outcome as Athens.
The secretary of state’s office has up until 17 days after the election to certify the results. If McNeel plans to seek another term, he would likely have to file the paperwork for his candidacy before he can be sworn in to the Senate.
Qualifying for the 2027-2028 legislative term will be held March 2-6.
About the Author
Maya T. Prabhu covers the Georgia Senate and statewide issues as a government reporter for The AJC. Born in Queens, New York, and raised in northern Virginia, Maya attended Spelman College and then the University of Maryland for a master's degree. She writes about social issues, the criminal justice system and legislative politics.
