Chastain Wins The Late David Ralston's House Rep. Seat

GEORGIA — Johnny Chastain will fill the District 7 seat left vacant by the late Georgia House Rep. David Ralston.

Chastain, a banker, defeated Sheree Ralston, widow of David Ralston, with 52.76 percent of the votes to Sheree's 47.24 percent in a special election runoff Tuesday.

Sheree is executive director of the Fannin County Development Authority.

Both Chastain and Sheree are Republicans.

A special election was held in early January in Fannin, Gilmer and a portion of Dawson counties to determine who will replace Ralston.

Ralston died Nov. 16, 2022, of an "extensive illness," his representatives said at the time. The Republican was the 73rd Speaker of the House and the longest currently-serving state house speaker in the country.

Ralston announced Nov. 4, 2022, that he would step down as Speaker of the House due to health concerns, and House Majority Leader Jon Burns was elected to the position Nov. 14, 2022.

During his time as speaker, Ralston lended his legislative efforts toward the Transportation Funding Act of 2015 and the "largest-ever income tax cut in state history." He was also key in the comprehensive adoption form in 2018 and Georgia's first-ever paid parental leave policy state employees and teachers in 2021, according to the Georgia General Assembly in a release following his death.