Williams Wins Fourth Term in Georgia's 5th District
Democrat Nikema Williams defeated Republican John "Bongo" Salvesen to keep the Atlanta-based congressional seat.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Nikema Williams won re-election to represent Georgia's 5th Congressional District, defeating Republican challenger John "Bongo" Salvesen. CBS News projected the outcome, giving Williams a fourth term in the Atlanta-based seat.
Why it matters
The win extends Williams' tenure in a district that includes most of Atlanta and nearby suburbs. It also marks the second time the two candidates have faced each other for the seat.
Williams has held the seat since 2020, when she first won after the death of U.S. Rep. John Lewis. Her 2024 re-election drew more than 85% of the vote, while the extraction gives no vote totals for this race.
The players
Nikema Williams
Williams is a Democrat who previously served as a Georgia state senator and chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia.
John "Bongo" Salvesen
Salvesen is the Republican who challenged Williams for the seat in both this election and the prior race.
The details
Williams defeated Salvesen in Tuesday's election, the second time the two have faced each other for the seat. Williams previously served as a Georgia state senator and chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, and earlier worked for Planned Parenthood Southeast.
Timeline
2020: Williams first won the seat after the death of U.S. Rep. John Lewis.
2024: Williams won re-election with more than 85% of the vote.
November 3, 2026: Williams won her fourth term over Salvesen.
Political Context
Williams first took the seat in 2020 after the death of John Lewis, and her 2024 win with more than 85% of the vote set the baseline for this race. Her fourth term continues that line of succession in a district Lewis long represented.
Williams' fourth term keeps her representing Atlanta and surrounding suburbs in Congress for another term. Constituents in the district will continue to be represented by the same member with an established record in the seat.
The takeaway
Williams' re-election to a fourth term reflects continuity in a district she has represented since 2020. Voters in Atlanta and nearby suburbs have repeatedly chosen her over Republican challengers.
Further reading
For more on how local races are decided, see Elections coverage for Atlanta.
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