Several key Brookhaven legislative races shaped up following the May 22 primary and leading into the November General Election.
Sally Harrell, a former state representative, defeated Tamara Johnson-Shealy with 67 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results in the Democratic primary for the state Senate District 40 seat. Harrell will now face incumbent state Sen. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody) in November. The district includes Dunwoody, Brookhaven and Sandy Springs.
State Rep. Scott Holcomb (D-Atlanta) easily defeated challenger Hamid Noori in the Democratic primary for House District 81 with 72 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results. Holcomb now faces Republican Ellen Diehl in November. The district includes a portion of Brookhaven.
There was no primary opposition in the House District 79 and House District 80 races, but primary results could portend interesting November elections in the traditionally Republican strongholds of the north Atlanta suburbs.
House District 79 is an open seat with Republican Tom Taylor of Dunwoody retiring this year. Republican Ken Wright, Dunwoody’s first mayor, garnered 1,454 votes as the sole Republican candidate, according to unofficial results. Mike Wilensky, a Dunwoody attorney and also without primary opposition, received 1,636 votes according to unofficial results as the sole candidate in the Democratic primary. The difference was 182 votes.
In House District 80, which includes Brookhaven and a sliver of Sandy Springs, incumbent Meagan Hanson ran unopposed in the Republican primary and received 1,245 votes, according to unofficial results. Her Democratic challenger, Matthew Wilson, received 1,449 votes in the primary, for a difference of 204 votes.