Democratic Party names five finalists to replace the late John Lewis on congressional ballot

Georgia Democrats have unveiled a list of five finalists who will replace the late John Lewis’ name on the congressional ballot this November.

The list includes the retired president of Morehouse College, the state party’s chairwoman, and other elected officials.

The finalists are:

• State Democratic Rep. Park Cannon, who was elected to the Peach State legislature in 2016 as one of several LGBTQ lawmakers. Ms. Cannon told the Democratic Party making the selection for Mr. Lewis’ replacement that she “would become the first openly queer member of congress.”
• Robert Franklin, who served as president of Morehouse College from 2007-2012. Mr. Franklin has described himself as “a transformed non-conformist.”
• Andre Dickens, an Atlanta city council member who was elected in 2013. A business executive and considered a rising star in Georgia Democratic circles.
• James “Major” Woodhall, president of the Georgia NAACP and Army Reserve veteran, Mr. Woodall has run for public office before and has served on the party’s state committee.
• State Democratic Sen. Nikema Williams, the state’s Democratic Party chairwoman and whose husband was long a key aide to Mr. Lewis. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Ms. Williams is “considered the front-runner for the party’s pick.”

Some prominent figures who were thought to be candidates, such as Stacey Abrams, the defeated gubernatorial candidate in 2018, former Atlanta mayors Andrew Young and Shirley Franklin, and current Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms did not apply for the position as Mr. Lewis’ replacement.

The party is expected to name the replacement candidate today.

The five finalists are more aggressively liberal than more established Democratic figures who the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported “were floated as possible ’placeholders’ to serve out a two-year term or who signaled they would immediately step down to trigger a wide-open special election year.”