Jasmine Clark jumps into race against U.S. Rep. David Scott

“We need to be boldly, loudly and intentionally standing up for our voters and against what’s happening in our communities,” she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “If people aren’t hearing you, it’s because you’re not loud enough.”

She joins two other prominent Democrats already in the race. State Sen. Emanuel Jones of Decatur, a 20-year veteran of the Legislature, launched his bid in January, saying Democrats need a “louder voice” to push back against MAGA policies.

Credit: AJC file photos

Credit: AJC file photos

And Everton Blair, the former chair of Gwinnett County’s board of education, entered the race in April saying, “It is time for the next generation to step up and correct the direction that this country is headed.”

All three have pledged to be more visible and accessible than Scott, whose aides say he intends to seek a 13th term despite concerns about his age and health.

They are trying to harness calls from some voters demanding a more engaged representative than Scott, who recently lost a heated race to keep his coveted Agriculture Committee post after facing stiff opposition within his own party.

Still, ousting Scott, who turns 80 this month, won’t be easy. His incumbency and name recognition have long helped him fend off primary challengers since he was first elected to Congress in 2002.

And he’s retained the seat even after the district was redrawn from Atlanta’s west side to a swath that now spans Clayton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton and Rockdale counties. Even with the boundary changes, the district remains heavily Democratic.

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Clark told the AJC that she doesn’t plan to focus her campaign on Scott’s age and health, though she said she’s confident that voters are already questioning his ability to serve another term.

“What’s our succession plan? The voters are asking the question, and I don’t know that I have to expressly criticize him,” she said. “He’s done great work in the time he’s been there, but I think it’s time to take the next step.”

Instead, she plans to highlight her background, which she said would make her the first woman in the U.S. House with a Ph.D. in a scientific field.

That expertise made her one of the party’s go-to voices on coronavirus restrictions during the height of the pandemic in 2020. It also positioned her to challenge Georgia’s 2019 anti-abortion legislation, including exposing a flawed provision she helped uncover.

She also helped lead opposition to a short-lived decision by Georgia’s top education official to block approval of a new Advanced Placement course in African American Studies.

“This is why we need those scientific voices in Congress. That’s why you need a diversity in thought in Congress,” she said. “And one of the things I will bring to Congress is that I’m the nerdy person who is ready to dissect the policies.”

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

She said she was moved to enter the race after Trump’s first 100 days brought sweeping layoffs of public health workers and cuts to scientific research — and after she was disappointed by what she saw as a lack of engagement from Scott’s office at a town hall she hosted.

“No one from his office showed up until the last 15 minutes, and they just gave fluff,” she said. “It was the perfect storm that convinced me I needed to do something.”

Clark also brings a swing-district mentality. She defeated a longtime Republican incumbent in 2018 to flip a Gwinnett-based district, then held it through three cycles of tough reelection battles — even after two rounds of GOP-led redistricting made it more competitive.

“I’m not just another name on the ballot. I’m going to campaign the way I have the last four election cycles,” she said. “I’m not afraid to get out there and reach out to voters. And that’s because I’ve always had to run in competitive campaigns.”