Race for Middle GA Senate seat set for runoff between Brown and McNeel

In a special runoff election set for next month, Middle Georgia voters will decide who will represent them under the Gold Dome: Democrat LeMario Brown or Republican Steven McNeel?

District 18 includes Bibb, Monroe, Houston, Crawford, Peach and Upson counties. Election Day is set for Feb. 17. The winner will succeed John F. Kennedy, who had held the office for a decade but resigned about a month ago to run for lieutenant governor. Senate District 18 has elected Republican candidates for the last two decades. 

Brown, the sole Democratic candidate, received 7,946 votes or 36.93% of all votes.

The race for second was close with McNeel receiving only a few hundred more votes than candidates Eric Wilson and Lauren Daniel. 

McNeel is a Macon attorney specializing in injury law for the firm Buzzell, Welsh & Hill. He told The Melody he is also a political neophyte, a farmer and small business owner who wants to reform property and individual income taxes. 

Brown is a farmer, small business owner and no stranger to politics. He served on the Fort Valley City Council as mayor pro-tem for about six years. He told The Melody he wants to find ways to make housing, insurance and healthcare more affordable.