Gwinnett lawmakers trail in legislative races

Two incumbent Georgia legislators apparently will be out of a job next year, results from Tuesday’s primary election show.

State Rep. Beth Moore, D-Peachtree Corners, narrowly trailed Democratic activist Nabilah Islam in the race for the open Senate District 7 in Gwinnett County. Islam has embraced the label “Georgia’s AOC” after she won the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement during an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. House in 2020.

In the Republican primary for District 7, Josh McKay defeated Bill Sandman to advance to the November general election.

Meanwhile, state Rep. David Clark, R-Buford, led Rep. Bonnie Rich, R-Suwanee, in the Republican primary for the newly drawn House District 100 in Gwinnett, Forsyth and Hall counties. Rich chaired the House Redistricting Committee that drew the district maps.

Clark has often clashed with Republican leaders in the House and initially did not seek re-election before changing his mind and running. In November he would face Democrat Louisa Shell Jackson, who ran unopposed in the primary.

In House District 106, state Rep. Shelly Hutchinson of Snellville defeated state Rep. Rebecca Mitchell of Snellville in the Democratic primary. As in the other races, the two Democrats faced off in a newly drawn district. Hutchinson now faces Republican Preston Wren, who ran unopposed, in the general election.