Georgia Republicans expand margin of victory, winning 2 state House seats

Republicans in Georgia won two decisive victories for state House seats, greatly increasing the margin of victory from 2020's election.

Two Republicans, Leesa Hagan and Devan Seabaugh, were declared the winners of special elections Tuesday night, according to the Associated Press.

Hagan, who was Toombs County Republican Party chairwoman, won her election for House District 156 with 52% of the vote, according to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. 

Hagan will replace Republican Greg Morris, who resigned after fellow legislators elected him to the state Transportation Board. Morris garnered 100% of the vote in 2020 since he ran unopposed.

Seabaugh won House District 34, which includes sections of Cobb County. Seabaugh won his election with 63% of the vote, expanding the margin of victory from 4% in 2020 to 26% in 2021, according to GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. Seabaugh will replace Republican Bert Reeve, who had resigned to work for Georgia Tech.

Tuesday's widened margin of victory for Republicans comes after the party suffered multiple defeats during the 2020 election, with the state voting for Democratic President Joe Biden and voting to replace Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue with Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.