Republican wins Georgia House special election

ATLANTA - A Republican won a special Georgia state House election Tuesday in Cobb County, but may never serve a day on the floor of the legislature.

Republican Mitchell Kaye won 57% of the vote, beating Democrat James Dustin McCormick, who won 43%, according to final unofficial returns. Kaye previously served a decade in the state House, leaving office in 2003.

Kaye will serve out the final seven months of the term of former state Rep. Matt Dollar, who resigned in February from the post in House District 45, which covers parts of eastern Cobb County and a sliver of Sandy Springs.

But Kaye is not a candidate for the general election in November and would cast no votes as a lawmaker unless a special session is called. Lawmakers redrew districts this year, giving much of Dollar’s old territory to incumbent Republican Rep. Sharon Cooper.

Cooper is running for reelection in the new District 45, facing a May 24 challenge from Republican Carminthia Moore.

McCormick, the Democrat, is running again in November. He’s unopposed for his party’s nomination this month.