by Amber Roldan, Georgia Recorder
June 2, 2025

Democratic state Rep. Jasmine Clark has entered the race for Georgia’s 13th Congressional District to challenge U.S. Rep. David Scott, the longtime Democratic incumbent who has said he is seeking reelection. 

Clark’s announcement Monday comes at a time when Scott, who received treatment for back problems in November, faces questions about his health. Scott, who has represented the metro Atlanta district since 2003, will celebrate his 80th birthday at the end of the month.

Clark originally decided to run for a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives during the first Trump administration, setting her sights on a Gwinnett County seat that had been in Republican hands for over two decades. Clark ousted an incumbent to win the seat and went on to defend it in 2020, 2022 and 2024 – fending off a Republican challenger last year who was backed by Gov. Brian Kemp.

“I ran to be a voice for science and truth in the face of Republican disinformation and ever since I’ve been taking on the toughest fights for Georgia families,” Clark said in her campaign video.

Outside of her legislative duties, Clark is a microbiologist, mom, nursing school professor at Emory University and a podcast co-host.

Since she took office in 2019, Clark has introduced legislation that she said was intended to create  a “safer, healthier, more prosperous” state of Georgia. Clark is also a vocal defender of reproductive rights. 

As a metro Atlanta native and longtime Lilburn resident, Clark says she has always nurtured a passion for science and health care. She grew up with parents who both worked in the medical fields, watching her father work as a doctor and mother as a nurse. 

“I’ll stand up to Trump and MAGA when they try to cut Medicare, destroy Georgia jobs and gut medical research into cancer and Alzheimer’s,” Clark said in her video. “And get to work building a stronger future for all of us, not just a powerful few.”

Clark isn’t the only candidate hoping to steal Scott’s seat. Former Gwinnett County Board of Education Chairman Everton Blair Jr. and state Sen. Emanuel Jones of Decatur have announced campaigns. Jonathan Bonner, Joe Lester and Simeon Nunnally are all also planning to run. 

The primary election is set for next May. 

Scott faced six Democratic challengers in 2024 but ultimately won the primary outright with nearly 58% of the vote. 

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jill Nolin for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com.

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Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This content highlights Democratic state Representative Jasmine Clark, emphasizing her progressive stances on science, reproductive rights, and opposition to Trump and MAGA policies. The language positively frames her candidacy and legislative efforts, indicating a supportive tone toward Democratic and left-leaning perspectives without extreme partisanship. It reflects a Center-Left bias by endorsing moderate progressive ideas and emphasizing opposition to conservative politics, particularly those of the Republican Party.