# U.S. House — District 8 — 2026 Candidates — The GA Files > Where the 2026 candidates for Georgia U.S. House — District 8 stand — bio, prior offices, top donors, positions on DEI, LGBTQ+, abortion, and data centers, plus any scandals. Sourced. *Source: https://thegafiles.com/candidates/us-house-08.html · The GA Files (thegafiles.com)* --- [← 2026 Candidates](https://thegafiles.com/candidates.html) # U.S. House — District 8 D ### Kelly Esti Democratic nominee A Navy veteran and public-policy scholar (PhD) making his first run for Congress. He studied nuclear power in the Navy, later worked in finance, helped stand up the new city of South Fulton, and served on a county zoning board and a charter-school board. His campaign's stated top priority is impeaching President Trump, alongside tackling the affordability crisis. He won the May 2026 Democratic primary to challenge Austin Scott. #### Previously held - First run for public office - Fulton County zoning board; charter-school board member - U.S. Navy (nuclear power program); finance career #### Top contributors A grassroots first-time candidate running a long-shot challenge in a district Scott won by roughly 38 points in 2024. The latest FEC filings show about $17,600 raised — entirely from individual donors, with no PAC money. **$17,655** raised · **$2,662** cash on hand — as of **Mar 31, 2026** (FEC latest filing). Source: [FEC — Esti](https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H6GA08138/) · [WALB — two Democrats vie to challenge Scott](https://www.walb.com/2026/04/17/two-democrats-vie-chance-challenge-austin-scott-georgias-8th-congressional-district/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Kelly_Esti) #### Where they stand Federal spending & debt A Navy veteran with a finance background and a public-policy PhD focused on measuring poverty, he frames the budget around the affordability crisis — protecting Social Security and Medicare and securing federal investment in the district (infrastructure, broadband, veterans' care) rather than across-the-board cuts. As a first-time challenger he has no voting record. Source: [Kelly Esti — campaign site](https://www.kellyesti4congress.com/) · [Ballotpedia — Kelly Esti](https://ballotpedia.org/Kelly_Esti) Education Calls education “a public good” and would expand federal programs that broaden access and keep learning affordable. Source: [Campaign site](https://www.kellyesti4congress.com/) Healthcare Treats health care as “a public good” — would strengthen federal health programs and fund rural clinics and hospitals across the district. Source: [Campaign site](https://www.kellyesti4congress.com/) Social Security reform Would protect federal benefit programs; no detailed Social Security plan stated beyond support for seniors' and veterans' programs. Source: [Campaign site](https://www.kellyesti4congress.com/) Minimum Wage Backs stronger federal labor standards and workplace protections; he has not named a specific minimum-wage figure. Source: [Campaign site](https://www.kellyesti4congress.com/) Homelessness Frames housing through fair treatment in federal programs and infrastructure funding; no standalone homelessness plan stated. Source: [Campaign site](https://www.kellyesti4congress.com/) Veterans Affairs As a Navy veteran, makes veterans a priority — pledging that service members and families “receive the support they have earned,” with a focus on VA programs. Source: [Campaign site](https://www.kellyesti4congress.com/) Immigration No detailed immigration platform stated in his campaign. Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Kelly_Esti) Gun Control No specific gun-policy position stated in his campaign. Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Kelly_Esti) Abortion Has not stated a detailed position on abortion in his campaign materials. Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Kelly_Esti) LGBTQ+ Supportive — he has advocated protecting Georgia's LGBTQ community from discrimination. Source: [Take Back Congress — Kelly Esti](https://www.take-bac-congress.us/team/kelly-esti,-ph.-d.) DEI No specific DEI platform stated. Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Kelly_Esti) Marijuana No position on marijuana documented. Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Kelly_Esti) Data centers & AI Has not staked out a specific AI or data-center position; his platform touches grid modernization and giving communities the option of renewable energy like solar and wind, but he has not addressed the data-center power-cost fight directly. Source: [Kelly Esti — campaign site](https://www.kellyesti4congress.com/) #### Scandals None documented. [Campaign site](https://www.kellyesti4congress.com/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Kelly_Esti) R ### Austin Scott Republican incumbent Georgia's 8th District congressman since 2011 and a senior member of the House Agriculture and Armed Services committees. A Tifton businessman and former 13-year state legislator, he launched a brief long-shot bid for House Speaker in 2023. He represents a deeply Republican, largely rural district and was re-elected with about 69% in 2024. #### Previously held - U.S. House, GA-08 (2011–present) - Georgia House of Representatives (1997–2010) - Insurance / small-business owner #### Top contributors A well-established incumbent whose PAC money is overwhelmingly agribusiness — peanut, cotton, pecan, and egg PACs — matching his seats on the House Agriculture and Appropriations committees. - $10,000 — United Egg Association PAC - $10,000 — U.S. Peanut PAC - $10,000 — Southeast Cotton Committee - $10,000 — National Pecan Federation PAC - $10,000 — Texas Farm Bureau AgFund - $10,000 — Peanut PAC of Alabama **$925,639** raised · **$1,256,979** cash on hand — as of **Apr 29, 2026** (FEC latest filing). Source: [FEC — Austin Scott](https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H0GA08099/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Scott) #### Where they stand Federal spending & debt A senior conservative who pairs spending-cut votes with appropriations for his district and the military. He voted for the 2023 debt-limit suspension — calling it “a small step in the right direction” — opposed the $1.7 trillion omnibus, and backed rescinding roughly $15 billion in unused funds, while filing yearly appropriations requests for Georgia projects. Source: [Austin Scott — votes to suspend debt limit](https://austinscott.house.gov/2023/5/rep-austin-scott-votes-to-suspend-debt-limit) · [Austin Scott — opposes omnibus](https://austinscott.house.gov/2022/12/rep-austin-scott-opposes-omnibus-spending-bill) Education A fiscal conservative who backs school choice and a limited federal role in education; no signature K-12 initiative of his own. Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Scott) Healthcare Opposes the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion, favoring market-based approaches and lower federal spending. Source: [OnTheIssues — Austin Scott](https://www.ontheissues.org/ga/Austin_Scott.htm) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Scott) Social Security reform Runs as a spending hawk but has not detailed a Social Security overhaul of his own. Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Scott) Minimum Wage A free-market conservative; he has not supported raising the federal minimum wage. Source: [OnTheIssues — Austin Scott](https://www.ontheissues.org/ga/Austin_Scott.htm) Homelessness No specific homelessness platform documented. Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Scott) Veterans Affairs A senior House Armed Services Committee member who emphasizes military readiness and veterans' care for his base-heavy, rural district. Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Scott) Immigration Backs hardline border enforcement in line with House Republicans; supports stricter enforcement and opposes “amnesty.” Source: [OnTheIssues — Austin Scott](https://www.ontheissues.org/ga/Austin_Scott.htm) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Scott) Gun Control A strong Second Amendment supporter who consistently votes against new gun restrictions. Source: [OnTheIssues — Austin Scott](https://www.ontheissues.org/ga/Austin_Scott.htm) Abortion Anti-abortion — he says human life begins at conception and backs restrictions on abortion. Source: [OnTheIssues — Austin Scott](https://www.ontheissues.org/ga/Austin_Scott.htm) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Scott) LGBTQ+ Opposed — he opposes same-sex marriage and earns a low single-digit score from LGBTQ-rights groups such as the Human Rights Campaign. Source: [OnTheIssues — Austin Scott](https://www.ontheissues.org/ga/Austin_Scott.htm) DEI Aligned with the Republican rollback of DEI programs. Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Scott) Marijuana No position on marijuana legalization documented. Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Scott) Data centers & AI Has not staked out a detailed AI or data-center position; he aligns broadly with Republican support for AI investment and expanded domestic energy to power it, without the consumer-cost or moratorium framing driving the debate at home. Source: [Ballotpedia — Austin Scott](https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Scott) #### Scandals None documented. [Campaign site](https://www.scottforga.com/) · [Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/member/austin-scott/S001189) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Scott) · [GA Files fact sheet](https://thegafiles.com/AustinScott.html) [⬇ Share image](https://thegafiles.com/share/candidates/us-house-08.png) [⬇ Download for offline](https://thegafiles.com/candidates/us-house-08.offline.html) Every entry is drawn from published reporting, official records, or the candidate's own statements, with sources on each item. Policy summaries are condensed from that reporting and reflect the candidate's stated positions; where a matter is an allegation or unresolved, that is noted, and inclusion is not a finding of guilt. Contributor figures are early/partial where the official itemized filings (Georgia Ethics Commission) are still being compiled. Corrections welcome via the contact link in the footer. Last updated 2026-06-17.