Jayson Toweh, a member of the Harvard University Board of Overseers, announced his plan to join the race for the 7th Congressional District Saturday. This comes as his six-year term on one of Harvard's highest governing bodies is set to end in June, just a month after the primary.
Toweh previously served in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Stanford University, pursuing the degree remotely while running his campaign out of Georgia.
His campaign centers around affordability in the congressional district encompassing much of Atlanta's northern suburbs, running under the campaign slogan "A Georgia We Can Afford."
An Instagram post announcing Toweh's candidacy said, "We’re building a movement to expand opportunity, lower energy costs, and strengthen health and family stability for working families."
The district has been a political battleground between Democrats and Republicans for the past decade, with representatives from both parties holding the seat during this period.
Republican Rich McCormick currently holds the seat, and will be running for reelection this year after securing over 60% of the vote in the 2022 election. Democrat Lucy McBath held the seat before him.
In November, incumbent Rep. McCormick was the favorite, according to The Cook Political Report, which rated the race as solidly Republican at the time.
However, in the 2020 election for the seat prior to redistricting, Rep. McCormick was beaten by a democrat in a competitive election.
