Who is running for U.S. House, Georgia District 8 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for U.S. House, Georgia District 8 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in U.S. House District 8.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Austin ScottRepublican | Kelly EstiDemocrat |
|---|---|---|
| Income taxes | Cut taxes across the board, including for top earners and corporationsVoted · medium | Raise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programsQuestionnaire answer · medium |
| Safety net programs | Keep them, but add work requirements for able-bodied adultsVoted · medium | No public position |
| Healthcare | Private insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditionsVoted · medium | No public position |
| Abortion | Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestOfficial action · low | No public position |
| Guns | Remove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightOfficial action · medium | No public position |
| Immigration | Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadyVoted · medium | No public position |
| Politicians trading stocks | No, ban it for members and their spousesVoted · medium | No public position |
| Mandatory minimums | Add or lengthen them for serious crimes like fentanyl traffickingVoted · medium | No public position |
| Student loans | Cap borrowing, simplify repayment, and skip broad forgivenessVoted · medium | No public position |
| Birthright citizenship | No, end it for children of parents here illegally or temporarilyOfficial action · medium | No public position |
| E-Verify mandate | Require it for all employersVoted · medium | No public position |
| Transgender athletes | No, and Congress should set a biological sex rule nationwideVoted · medium | No public position |
| Aid to Israel | Keep full aid without new conditionsVoted · medium | No public position |
Austin Scott
Republican · IncumbentU.S. Representative, Georgia District 8
Austin Scott is the Republican nominee and incumbent in Georgia's 8th District and has served in the U.S. House since January 20111. Before Congress he owned an insurance brokerage for nearly 20 years and served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1997 to 20101.
Where they stand 22 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Income taxesCut taxes across the board, including for top earners and corporationsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, which set a 15% minimum tax on large corporations to help pay for energy and health programs. (2022-08-12) source
- Cosponsored the Death Tax Repeal Act, which would repeal the estate and gift tax. (2025-02-13) source
- Voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which made the 2017 individual tax cuts permanent, including the 37% top rate, and extended business tax breaks. (2025-07-03) source
Safety net programsKeep them, but add work requirements for able-bodied adultsmedium
Voted · medium confidenceHealthcarePrivate insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditionsmedium
Voted · medium confidenceGunsRemove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightmedium
Official action · medium confidence- Voted against the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022. (2022-07-29) source
- Cosponsored the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act in 2023 and the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025 (H.R. 38). (2025-01-03) source
- Cosponsored the National Constitutional Carry Act (H.R. 645), which would bar federal limits on carrying a firearm without a permit. (2026-05-21) source
ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadymedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted against the American Dream and Promise Act, which offered a path to citizenship for Dreamers. (2021-03-18) source
- Voted against the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which offered legal status to long-time farmworkers. (2021-03-18) source
- Voted for the Secure the Border Act, which funded border wall construction, tightened asylum rules and required E-Verify. (2023-05-11) source
- Voted for the Secure America Act, which provides about $70 billion for immigration enforcement and border security through 2029. (2026-06-09) source
Politicians trading stocksNo, ban it for members and their spousesmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the Stop Insider Trading Act, which bars members of Congress, their spouses and dependents from buying new individual stocks. (2026-07-22) source
Mandatory minimumsAdd or lengthen them for serious crimes like fentanyl traffickingmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the HALT Fentanyl Act, which permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I and applies mandatory minimum sentences to trafficking them. (2023-05-25) source
- Voted for the HALT Fentanyl Act, which permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I and applies mandatory minimum sentences to trafficking them. (2025-06-12) source
Student loansCap borrowing, simplify repayment, and skip broad forgivenessmedium
Birthright citizenshipNo, end it for children of parents here illegally or temporarilymedium
Official action · medium confidenceE-Verify mandateRequire it for all employersmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the Secure the Border Act, which would require all employers to use E-Verify. (2023-05-11) source
Transgender athletesNo, and Congress should set a biological sex rule nationwidemedium
Voted · medium confidence- Cosponsored the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023 (H.R. 734). (2023-03-08) source
- Voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a federal rule basing girls' and women's school sports eligibility on sex at birth. (2023-04-20) source
- Cosponsored the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (H.R. 28) in 2025. (2025-01-03) source
- Voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a federal rule basing girls' and women's school sports eligibility on sex at birth. (2025-01-14) source
Aid to IsraelKeep full aid without new conditionsmedium
AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestlow
Official action · low confidence- Voted against the Women's Health Protection Act, which would protect abortion access nationwide before viability. (2021-09-24) source
- Voted against the Women's Health Protection Act of 2022, which would protect abortion access nationwide before viability. (2022-07-15) source
- Cosponsored the Life at Conception Act (H.R. 431) in the 118th Congress. (2023-10-18) source
- Cosponsored the Life at Conception Act (H.R. 722) in the 119th Congress. (2025-01-24) source
Energy and climateNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidenceMarijuanaNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against the MORE Act, which would legalize marijuana federally and clear past convictions. (2022-04-01) source
RedistrictingNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against the For the People Act, which would require independent redistricting commissions. (2021-03-03) source
Campaign financeNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against the For the People Act, which created public matching funds for campaigns and stricter donor disclosure. (2021-03-03) source
Qualified immunityNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would end qualified immunity for police officers. (2021-03-03) source
Drug pricesNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would cap insulin costs at $35 a month. (2022-03-31) source
Childcare and pre-KNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against the Build Back Better Act, which funded free universal pre-K and expanded childcare aid. (2021-11-19) source
Paid leaveNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against the Build Back Better Act, which created a national paid family and medical leave program. (2021-11-19) source
Aid to UkraineNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence
No public position found on: National debt, Social Security, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Trade and tariffs, Foreign policy, Judges, Term limits, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Kelly Esti
DemocratAnalyst, Delta Air Lines
Kelly Esti is the Democratic nominee in Georgia's 8th District; he holds a PhD in public policy and an MBA and works as an analyst at Delta Air Lines2. He served in the Navy as a nuclear-trained sailor and was among the founders of the city of South Fulton2.
Where they stand 1 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Income taxesRaise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- His Ballotpedia survey says wealthy individuals and large multinational corporations should pay their fair share of taxes to fund investments in infrastructure, rural internet, education and lower healthcare costs. (2026) source
No public position found on: National debt, Social Security, Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Trade and tariffs, Foreign policy, Energy and climate, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, Aid to Israel, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.