Former Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall gets to walk in the shoes of his mentor, U.S. Rep. John Lewis.
Hall won Tuesday’s runoff and will complete the final month of Lewis’ term in Washington, representing Georgia’s 5th Congressional District. The Georgia secretary of state’s office said it has already transmitted the election results to Washington to allow him to be sworn into office immediately.
Hall defeated former Morehouse College President Robert Franklin in the runoff. He had trumpeted his ties to the Lewis family during the campaign. Hall grew up in the same neighborhood as their home, and Lewis’ son, John-Miles, endorsed him. His father, Leon Hall, worked with Lewis on civil rights issues.
“This win tonight allows me to continue that fight and to work every day of this term for issues like COVID-19 relief, criminal justice reform, protecting the right to vote, finding money for affordable housing, for the legalization of cannabis and, if it has been decided by the time I get to D.C., for a stimulus package to keep residents of the 5th District in their homes and the doors of small businesses open,” Hall wrote on Facebook.
Lewis had represented Georgia’s 5th Congressional District for nearly 34 years when he died in July of pancreatic cancer. The heavily Democratic district includes portions of Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties.
Both candidates tried to educate voters that the special election was separate from the vote Nikema Williams won in November, allowing her to take office on Jan. 3. Voter confusion and fatigue — 5th District residents have been called to the polls three times since September — may have contributed to low turnout.
Hall won 54% of 22,394 ballots cast, according to unofficial results on the secretary of state’s website. John Lewis earned 275,406 votes in the 2018 general election, although he ran unopposed.
Lewis’ former chief of staff, Michael Collins, said Wednesday that Hall may not be able to cast many votes but it was important to fill the seat for the final weeks of the lame-duck session of Congress.
“He might be able to vote on the budget — the stimulus package, if that gets before us,” Collins said. “It’s going to go by pretty fast. Christmas break is upon us. Whatever it is, the vote will be important. Representation is key. So it’s important.”
The House is currently in session through Dec. 10, when it is scheduled to break for the holidays. When members return, it will be Williams and not Hall representing the 5th District.
Hall will be eligible for a prorated congressional salary during his term and will have the benefit of Lewis’ office and his staff, who have stayed on since his death.
Because his tenure will be so brief, Hall will not be eligible for retirement or other benefits. He will have lifetime access to the House floor and its facilities, including the gym.
Staff writers Jim Galloway and David Wickert contributed to this article.
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