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8th Congressional District · 2026 U.S. House · Unofficial result

U.S. House, 8th District: what did each candidate actually say they'd do?

IN PLAIN ENGLISH

Rep. Austin Scott (R) ran for re-election against Democrat Kelly Esti. With all 159 counties reporting, Scott leads by 54,946 votes. Results are unofficial until certified. Check your own address on the Georgia Secretary of State's My Voter Page to confirm your district.

Scott leadsAll counties reporting; unofficial until certified1
60.38%Scott (R)1
39.62%Esti (D)1
54,946Vote margin of 264,650 cast1

Do they have a plan?

We read every issue on each candidate's own website and checked the same six things for every one. We count what's there. We don't grade whether the ideas are good. Read the full scoring rules

Of the issues on their website, how many...Kelly EstiAustin Scott
Names a policy0 of 7
No issues page on their site
Says how they'd do it0 of 7
No issues page on their site
Includes a number or target0 of 7
No issues page on their site
Says how it's paid for0 of 7
No issues page on their site
Gives a timeline0 of 7
No issues page on their site
Points to a record1 of 7
No issues page on their site

The candidates, side by side

Each topic shows every candidate's own words on it, in alphabetical order, from their own website. "Nothing on this topic" means their site doesn't cover it. Topic rows are grouped by us from their headings; the scores don't change.

Kelly EstiDemocrat
Austin ScottRepublican
Who they are
Kelly Esti
Calls himself a Navy veteran, small-business co-owner and CFO, with a doctorate in public policy, by his own account.3 His site points to no elected office. It lists board seats and a legislative aide job ("Served as Legislative Aide to Senator Donzella James 2015 Legislative Session")3. Each of the seven Policy Priorities sections includes a sentence about his role in Congress (for example "As your congressman, my role is to support federal programs that expand access to education"), and those sentences were scored as the issue text.2
Austin Scott
Says he "proudly represents Georgia's 8th Congressional District"4. His campaign site is one page with no issues page: its two menu links only jump within the page (and scottforga.com/issues returns a "404" error on a plain download, 11/5/2026), so no issues were scored. His official House site is not a campaign site and was not scored.
Veterans
Kelly Esti
Military / Veteran Services"As a member of Congress, part of my job would be to oversee the federal agencies that support veterans and military communities."2
None of the six checks
Austin Scott
No issues page on their site
Health care
Kelly Esti
Healthcare"As your congressman, my role is to strengthen federal health programs, support funding for rural clinics and hospitals, and work with agencies to improve access to essential services throughout the district."2
None of the six checks
Austin Scott
No issues page on their site
Schools and education
Kelly Esti
Education"As your congressman, my role is to support federal programs that expand access to education, push for funding that keeps learning affordable, and make sure our district has a real voice in national decisions about schools and workforce development."2
None of the six checks
Austin Scott
No issues page on their site
Energy and environment
Kelly Esti
Utilities & Renewable Energy"As your congressman, my job is to help local governments access federal grants, support legislation that modernizes utility systems, and ensure rural communities aren't left behind when new energy programs roll out."2
None of the six checks
Austin Scott
No issues page on their site
Technology and privacy
Kelly Esti
Infrastructure: Roads, Digital Access & Transit Options"As your congressman, my job is to secure federal funding for transportation and broadband projects and support local leaders as they choose the solutions that fit their community best."2
None of the six checks
Austin Scott
No issues page on their site
Taxes, jobs and the economy
Kelly Esti
Worker Rights & Economic Stability"As your congressman, my role is to support federal labor standards, work with agencies to enforce workplace protections, and make sure economic policies reflect the needs of both workers and employers in our district."2
None of the six checks
Austin Scott
No issues page on their site
Rights and freedoms
Kelly Esti
Civil Rights & Personal Freedoms"As your congressman, my responsibility is to make sure federal protections are enforced consistently, agencies follow the law, and everyone in the district (no matter their background) can rely on fair treatment when dealing with federal programs." Record, from his About page: "Spearheaded successful opposition to Religious Freedom Bill (2015)" as legislative chair of Georgia Equality.32
Points to a record
Austin Scott
No issues page on their site
Their record
Kelly Esti
  • Lists "Former Board Member, Hapeville Board of Zoning Appeals (Two Terms)"3
  • Lists "Former Legislative Chair & Board Member, Georgia Equality" and "Spearheaded successful opposition to Religious Freedom Bill (2015)"3
  • Says he "Led academic oversight committee ensuring charter compliance and curriculum excellence"3
Austin Scott
  • Says he "serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Armed Services Committee, and the House Agriculture Committee"4
  • Says he "spent 20 years running his own small business"4
  • Names no bills or votes from his time in Congress.
In their words
Kelly Esti

"Education changed my life, and I want every resident of Georgia's 8th District to have the same opportunity to move forward"

Kelly Esti, campaign Home page2

"Infrastructure should work for everyone, no matter their ZIP code."

Kelly Esti, campaign Home page2
Austin Scott

"He supports limited government, small business job growth, a strong national defense, and a healthy agricultural economy."

Austin Scott, campaign Home page4

"Together, we can protect the personal freedoms, individual liberties, and economic opportunities of the next generation."

Austin Scott, campaign Home page4
Where we read it
Kelly Esti
Website: kellyesti4congress.com/ (checked 11/5/2026)
Austin Scott
Website: scottforga.com/ (checked 11/5/2026)

The middle

Where they agree

  • Both name the military. Scott: "He supports limited government, small business job growth, a strong national defense, and a healthy agricultural economy."4 Esti: "As a member of Congress, part of my job would be to oversee the federal agencies that support veterans and military communities."2
  • Both name small business. Scott: "He supports limited government, small business job growth"4 Esti: "I've seen how internet access can determine whether students succeed, whether businesses grow"2

Where they really split

  • Role of government: Scott "supports limited government"4 Esti: "my role is to strengthen federal health programs, support funding for rural clinics and hospitals"2
  • Government's role in health care: Esti: "Healthcare is a Public Good"2 Scott's site says he is "a committed conservative representing Georgia values and free market principles in Congress"4

What each one leaves out

  • Scott's campaign site has no issues page and states no position beyond one paragraph. It names no bills or votes from his time in Congress.4
  • Esti's Policy Priorities has seven headings. It names no bill, program or amount on any, so none says how, and it gives no cost or date. Its About page credits him with leading opposition to Georgia's 2015 Religious Freedom Bill, which counts on civil rights; it shows no other past action on these issues.2, 3
Sources (checked 11/5/2026)
  1. Georgia Secretary of State results, unofficial (all 159 counties reporting, last updated Nov 4, 2026 12:13 PM): results.sos.ga.gov/results/public/Georgia/11032026GeneralAndSpecialElection
  2. Kelly Esti campaign, Home (Policy Priorities): kellyesti4congress.com/
  3. Kelly Esti campaign, About Kelly: kellyesti4congress.com/about-9
  4. Austin Scott campaign, Home: scottforga.com/