ATLANTA – Republican Austin Scott has defeated Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall in middle Georgia’s 8th District.
Marshall, a four-term congressman from Macon, was ousted in Tuesday’s elections amid a tide of Republican gains in Congress.
Unofficial returns showed Scott, a GOP state lawmaker from Ashburn, with 53 percent of the vote with 72 percent of precincts reporting.
During the campaign, Marshall tried to sway voters with arguments his independent voting record showed he was not beholden to either party. The Democrat voted against President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul and said he opposed keeping Nancy Pelosi as House speaker.
Scott attacked Marshall for supporting $787 billion in stimulus spending and raising the government’s debt limit.