Six years ago Lucy McBath’s teenage son was shot and killed in a case of racist gun violence. Now, McBath is headed to Congress as the Democratic representative for Georgia’s 6th Congressional District. McBath’s opponent, Karen Handel took to Facebook Thursday morning (Nov. 8) to announce her concession.
“After carefully reviewing all of the election results data, it is clear that I came up a bit short on Tuesday,” Handel said in the statement. “Congratulations to Representative-Elect Lucy McBath and I send her only good thoughts and much prayer for the journey that lies ahead for her.”
In November 2012, nine months after Trayvon Martin was killed, McBath’s son, Jordan Davis was murdered by Michael Dunn for playing his music too loud. McBath was then catapulted into the public eye and became part of the “Mothers of The Movement.” A collection of mothers who lost their children to police or vigilante gun violence.
McBath didn’t plan for a career in politics but after seeing the activism by the surviving students at the school shooting in Parkland, Florida she made the leap.
“I’m still a mother. I’m still parenting. That’s why I believed this was the time to stand up,” McBath said.
READ MORE: Lucy McBath Wins Georgia House Democratic Nomination