Scott defeats Marshall in 8th District race

ATLANTA – Former state Rep. Austin Scott has defeated U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall, Fox News reported.

With 74 percent of precincts reporting, Scott, a Republican, was leading Marshall, a Democrat, 53 percent to 47 percent.

Marshall, a conservative-leaning Democrat, served as mayor of Macon from 1995 until 1999. He was elected to the House in 2002. Last month, Marshall said he would not support Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for another term as speaker, if Democrats were to retain control of the House.

The seat is one of two in Georgia that Republicans are hoping to wrestle from Democrats. In the 2nd Congressional District, with 64 percent of precincts reporting, Republican Mike Keown was leading Rep. Sanford Bishop, a Democrat, 55 percent to 45 percent.

Like Marshall, Bishop is a conservative-leaning Democrat.