Columbus-area seat in Georgia House heading to a Republican runoff

The race for the Columbus-area seat in the Georgia House previously held by Rules Chairman Richard Smith will be decided in a runoff between two Republicans.

A special election Tuesday narrowed the field to Sean Knox, the president of a pest control company, and Carmen Rice, the chairwoman of the Muscogee County Republican Party. The runoff will be held May 7.

Smith, who had served in the House since 2004 and led the powerful Rules Committee since 2020, died in January at age 78.

The winner of the runoff will represent the district for the rest of the year but will have to run for election again in November for a full two-year term.

Knox and Rice received the most votes among four candidates in the special election, but neither received a majority of the votes needed to avoid a runoff. House District 139 covers parts of Harris and Muscogee counties.

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