Democratic challenger Shea Roberts has ousted Republican incumbent state Rep. Deborah Silcox from the Georgia House District 52 seat, according to official election results certified Nov. 13 by Fulton County. But Silcox has not issued a concession statement and declined comment on a possible challenge to her 377-vote loss.
The official results show Roberts won the seat, which represents parts of Buckhead and Sandy Springs, in the Nov. 3 election with 17,069 votes (50.56%) to Silcox’s 16,692 (49.44%).
Roberts’ victory completes a Democratic flipping of local state House districts that began in the “blue wave” of 2018.
In a Nov. 14 Facebook post, Roberts published a victory speech. “This has been a journey of a lifetime and I feel such gratitude,” she wrote. “I look forward to serving HD52/Georgia and making y’all proud!”
But Silcox has not made a concession statement to the public or to Roberts. Silcox said Nov. 6 that she had been advised not to concede. Asked via text message Nov. 14 whether she would concede or attempt a challenge to the results, Silcox said, “No comment at this time.”
Roberts’ margin of victory, while slim, is still above the 1% threshold at which candidates can call for a recount under state law. The law allows other grounds for recounts, such as claims of errors.
“I have not heard anything from her,” Roberts said of Silcox in a text message. Roberts said she is “honored to be moving forward with my work as rep.-elect for HD52.”
Roberts previously published photos of herself in the House Chamber at the Georgia State Capitol, where she met with the Democratic House Caucus as part of her transition into the state representative office.
Roberts is a Sandy Springs resident and co-owner of the Buckhead law firm Giacoma Roberts & Daughdrill.