From colleagues to rivals: New maps leave 2 Dems competing for the same seat
Two incumbents square off for Atlanta-area House seat
A pair of Democratic state lawmakers are headed for the only primary contest between two incumbents.
State Reps. Saira Draper and Becky Evans are running against each other in next month’s primary after new sets of political maps placed them in the same intown Atlanta district.
It’s an awkward situation not just for both lawmakers, but for the entire House Democratic caucus, with most of its members declining to take sides or even comment on the unusual matchup.
“This is certainly an unusual and unfortunate predicament,” said Democratic state Rep. Tanya Miller, who is supporting Draper. “If it were up to me — and I think any member of our caucus — none of our members would be paired together and put in this position.”
“But unfortunately, this is where we are.”
The new maps were drawn last year after a U.S. District Court ordered lawmakers to increase the number of majority-Black districts. A few other incumbents decided to step down after finding themselves in situations similar to Draper and Evans.
Neither Draper nor Evans are completely sure why Republican mapmakers paired their districts together. But they both say the majority party wins either way because one of them will not be returning to the Gold Dome in January.
Draper, a civil rights attorney who just wrapped up her first term, says that it makes sense for her colleagues in the majority to target her because of her background in voting rights.
“It makes a lot of sense for [Republicans] to target someone who is constantly calling them out on the things they would much rather not be called out on. Undermining democracy?” A rhetorical Rep. Draper asked.
“I think they just wanted to mess with us,” said Rep. Evans, a nonprofit co-founder who has been in office since 2019. “They win either way by getting rid of one of us.”
Both Evans and Draper are reliable votes and voices for their party’s main priorities, from Medicaid expansion, to strengthening gun laws and protecting LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights.
But they both say that they have unfinished business to tackle in office.
Rep. Evans, a strong advocate for public education, praised this year’s pay raises for teachers and talked up her support for early child care. “Nothing is more important than making sure every child can read,” she said.
For Rep. Draper, whose family immigrated to the United States when she was a child, it all boils down to diversity. She reminds us of this year’s wave of new laws targeting immigrants and says that “having the perspective of an immigrant in the legislature is critical.”
Both lawmakers say that they have great respect for one another and that they would like to maintain a cordial atmosphere.
“Neither one of us wanted to give this race to each other,” Rep. Evans said, recalling a cup of coffee she shared with her now-opponent before Christmas.
“We both like the challenge of this work and feel proud of our work.”
The primary is May 21.