Georgia State Sen. Nabilah Parkes resigns for lieutenant governor run
Georgia State Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes, representing Duluth and Peachtree Corners, resigned from her District 7 seat to focus full-time on her Democratic primary campaign for Lieutenant Governor. (Georgia Senate)
ATLANTA - Georgia state Sen. Nabilah Parkes resigned from the state Senate on Friday to dedicate her full attention to her run for lieutenant governor.
Parkes steps down to challenge 'corporate-funded' system
What we know:
Parkes, a Democrat from Duluth, officially stepped down from her District 7 seat this week. She was serving her second term in the state Senate, where she held seats on the Banking and Financial Institutions and Science and Technology committees. Parkes was also recently elected as the co-chair of the Georgia Women’s Legislative Caucus.
What we don't know:
It is not yet clear when a special election will be held to fill the vacancy for Senate District 7. Officials have not yet named an interim representative for the district, which spans from Peachtree Corners to Lawrenceville.
Resignation aimed at 'fighting for working class'
What they're saying:
"I resigned so that I can fight for our communities as Lieutenant Governor," Parkes said in a statement. "It's a screwed up system, but the current system gives an advantage to rich people and corporate-funded candidates. As someone fighting for working class people like my family, I don't have the luxury of sitting back and waiting for the corporate PAC checks to pour in. I have to get to work so we can win this race and stop MAGA Republicans from attacking and stripping away our fundamental freedoms."
The race for lieutenant governor
By the numbers:
The Democratic primary is a three-way contest. Parkes qualified on March 5, 2026, and is running against attorney Josh McLaurin and certified public accountant Richard N. Wright. The Republican side of the ticket is more crowded, with seven qualified candidates including Brenda Lynn Nelson-Porter, David Timothy Clark, Gregory Robert Dolezal, John Flanders Kennedy, Michael Blake Tillery, Steve Gooch, and Takosha Misheal Swan.
What's next:
Parkes will now move into full-time campaigning ahead of the primary election. Voters in Senate District 7 should monitor the Georgia Secretary of State's office for updates regarding a special election to fill her former seat.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a formal statement by Nabilah Parkes and official candidate qualifying records from the Georgia Secretary of State.