Four things you must know about the “troublemaking” woman to replace John Lewis

Nikema Williams has been nominated to replace the departed civil rights icon John Lewis in Georgia’s 5th congressional district, and she will be on the ballot in November.

It is, however, not clear if Williams will contest in a special election to be called by Georgia to temporarily replace Lewis’ vacant seat in Congress.

Williams, a state senator in Georgia, was also the chairperson of the state’s Democratic Party. She edged out competition at the executive committee to replace Lewis from the likes of former Morehouse College President Robert Franklin and Georgia NAACP President James “Major” Woodall.

Tweeting on Monday in acceptance of her nomination, the soon-to-be 42-year-old woman said: “Nobody will ever fill the shoes of Congressman John Lewis. I will do everything in my power to honor his legacy and lift up his spirit. I’m honored to accept this nomination.”

But even as Williams speaks of the honor to “put [herself] on the line for [her] constituents in the same way that Congressman Lewis taught us to”, how much do you know about her?