Democrat heads to runoff in Republican-heavy Macon area Georgia Senate seat

It appeared as if Steven McNeel, a Republican, received the second-highest amount of votes, a little more than 21%,in Tuesday’s special election for Senate District 18 and will face Brown in a runoff election next month.

The race was close between McNeel, an attorney and timber farmer, and former Forsyth Mayor Eric Wilson, also a Republican, according to the unofficial results. Wilson received just over 20% of the vote. If the numbers hold when certified and made official, Wilson will have finished a little more than 1 percentage point behind McNeel.

Georgia law allows a candidate to call for a recount when they finish 0.5 percentage points or less behind another candidate.

Democrats have made it a point to challenge every race for the past year’s several special elections, overperforming in districts routinely held by Republicans.

In most cases where a runoff was required, the Democrat narrowed the point spread with the Republican candidate, but ultimately lost. A Democrat flipped an Athens-area House seat last year.

“Our vision of a more affordable Georgia, where small businesses thrive, and health care access is available to all could be in reach if we all show up to the polls,” Brown said in a statement.

“The finish line is close and we will not stop fighting until Senate District 18 has a strong leader under the Gold Dome.”

Democrats poured money and resources into the race and brought in national figures to campaign on Brown’s behalf, including an appearance from U.S. Sen. Mark Kelley, D-Ariz., on Saturday.

Georgia GOP Chairman Josh McKoon said Republicans “stepped up” after initial early voting figures had them underperforming expectations.

“Democrats threw everything they had at this race — pouring in money from California and New York and even calling in national figures like Senator Mark Kelly — but in the end, they still couldn’t close the deal,” McKoon said.