Monday morning, Georgia State Representative Dr. Jasmine Clark announced her intentions to run for Congress. The microbiologist and college professor will challenge U.S. Rep. David Scott in Georgia’s 13th District. Dr. Clark has represented Lilburn in Georgia’s House of Representatives since 2018.
During her time in the Legislature, Clark has been an outspoken advocate for education, healthcare, and voting rights. She represents portions of Gwinnett County that is the current epicenter of battleground Georgia.
“I first decided to run for state house in 2018, after Trump’s first election, to be a
science voice for Georgia. I’ve served in the minority in the State House, and I know what it
takes to fight Republican attacks on our community. When Kemp and Georgia Republicans
distorted facts and manipulated data to push their radical agendas, I exposed the truth,” said Clark.
Clark has seen her district be targeted by Governor Brian Kemp twice in the last four years. She has raised considerable amounts of money to fend off Republican challenges for her seat. Moreover, Clark has a strong base of support.
Clark’s Opposition
One of Clark’s opponents is incumbent U.S. Rep. David Scott. Within Democratic circles, Scott’s age, rumored acuity, plus insufficient visibility within the district has raised questions about his viability. Scott, turns 80 this month and has served in Congress for 24 years. Everton Blair, the former chair of the Gwinnett County Board of Education and prominent businessman State Sen. Emmanuel Jones are Clark’s opponents.
“These are not normal times, and I cannot sit back and watch my community come under attack while our leaders in Washington fail to show up. I’m running for Congress to be a fighter for Georgia families, science and reason,” said Clark.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Clark earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Emory University and completed a postdoctoral project in HIV research. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Biology, working with undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students.
