Married to Medicine star Dr. Heavenly Kimes is speaking out after conceding in Georgia’s Democratic primary election for the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Atlanta-based cosmetic dentist announced Tuesday, May 19, that she was ending her campaign after finishing second in the race for Georgia’s 13th Congressional District. Kimes competed against five other Democratic candidates and ultimately lost to Rep. Jasmine Clark.
Clark, who has represented Georgia House District 108 since 2019, secured more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary, according to NBC News. She is now set to face Republican candidate Jonathan James Chavez in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Chavez advanced after running unopposed in the Republican primary.
Following the election results, Kimes shared a message with supporters on Instagram, reflecting on the campaign and congratulating Clark on her victory.
The reality television star also thanked the people who supported her throughout the campaign, including volunteers, donors and voters who helped spread her message across the district.
Kimes continued by highlighting what she viewed as accomplishments during the race despite the loss.
Her husband, Dr. Damon Kimes, appeared beside her in the video as she delivered her remarks. Kimes publicly thanked him for supporting her during the demanding campaign season and acknowledged the sacrifices made by her family throughout the process.
Kimes also expressed gratitude to her children, thanking them for “sacrificing time with me while we fought for something bigger than ourselves.”
Several supporters and fellow Bravo personalities flooded the comments section following her concession speech, including her “Married to Medicine” castmate Dr. Jackie Walters.
Walters praised Kimes in a supportive message, writing that she is a “rockstar” before adding, “This is only the beginning for you.”
The race for Georgia’s 13th Congressional District followed the death of longtime Congressman David Scott, who represented the district beginning in 2003. Scott died on April 22 at the age of 80, leaving the seat vacant.
Before his death, Scott had reportedly been leading in recent polling. At the time of his passing, Kimes honored the late congressman with a public tribute recognizing his years of service to the district.
She described Scott as a “dedicated advocate for his community, working to uplift families, support economic growth and champion issues that mattered to the people he served.”
Kimes first revealed her political ambitions last summer when she exclusively shared with PEOPLE that she intended to run for Georgia state representative in District 93. However, in March, she announced that she had shifted her focus and would instead seek federal office by entering the congressional race for District 13.
At the time of her announcement, Kimes emphasized that she viewed herself as someone outside of traditional politics and framed her campaign around public service and advocacy.
Although her congressional campaign has come to an end for now, Kimes told supporters in her concession message that she plans to continue moving forward after what she described as a historic run.
Avigail is an Entertainment blogger at All About The Tea, who specializes in The Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Real Housewives of Potomac. Avigail has a background in marketing. She’s a Brooklynite living in the Bahamas, with a passion for travel, writing, reality TV watching, pop culture and spoken word.
