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Carmen Rice wins special election for Georgia House seat from Columbus

Rice and Sean Knox will face off again in this month’s primary
Carmen Rice, the former chairwoman for the Muscogee County Republican Party, won a special election for a seat in the Georgia House on Tuesday. Credit: Carmen Rice for State House

Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

Carmen Rice, the former chairwoman for the Muscogee County Republican Party, won a special election for a seat in the Georgia House on Tuesday. Credit: Carmen Rice for State House
By
May 8, 2024

Former Muscogee County Republican Party Chairwoman Carmen Rice won a special election runoff Tuesday for a seat in the Georgia House, succeeding state Rep. Richard Smith, who died in January.

Rice defeated Sean Knox, a Columbus business owner who runs a pest control company, receiving 56% of the vote to represent House District 139, which covers parts of Harris and Muscogee counties.

Rice’s victory makes her the area’s representative for the rest of the year, but she has to run for reelection as well. Rice faces two other Republicans, Knox and oral surgeon Donald Moeller, in the May 21 primary for a two-year term.

Smith, the chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee, served 20 years in the Georgia House before he died after fighting the flu.

About the Author

Mark Niesse covers Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.

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