Knox County mayor Tim Burchett is the Republican nominee to replace longtime Congressman Jimmy Duncan in Congress.
His top challenger, Jimmy Matlock, conceded the race just after 10 p.m. Thursday night.
With 95 percent of the precincts reporting, Burchett was leading with 49 percent of the vote. Matlock followed with 35 percent of the vote.
“I am honored and humbled by tonight’s victory,” Burchett said. “The highlight of this campaign has been meeting and talking with the amazing people across Tennessee’s 2nd Congressional District. I could not have won this race without the support of so many volunteers, friends, voters, and of course, my amazing wife and daughter."
Burchett is currently serving the last year of his two terms as Knox County mayor and will succeeded by Republican Glenn Jacobs come Sept. 1.
Burchett will compete for the U.S. House District 2 seat against Democratic primary winner Renee Hoyos in the Nov. 6 midterm elections, who won her primary in a landslide with 72 percent of the vote (with 95 percent of precincts reporting).
“We still have three more months in this campaign and we’re not slowing down," Burchett said.
Original story
For the first time since 1988, Jimmy Duncan will not be running to be the U.S. Representative for Tennessee's Second Congressional District. He succeeded his father, who had held the seat since 1965.
The Republican field to replace Duncan is crowded.
Knox County mayor Tim Burchett and Knoxville businessman Jimmy Matlock have been the most visible of the candidates on the Republican ticket as they fire back and forth in political ads.
Blount County lawyer Jason Emert has created momentum in his campaign as a political outsider. His social media page has garnered nearly three times the number of followers of Jimmy Matlock and Tim Burchett, but he lacks the name recognition of his biggest opponents.
Also on the Republican ballot are: Hank Hamblin, Ashley Nickloes, Vito Sagliano, and C. David Stansberry.
Renee Hoyos, Joseph William Schenkenfelder, and Joshua Williams are on the Democratic ticket.
The winner of both primaries will advance to the general election in November.