Steve Tarvin wins re-election in Georgia's District 2 primary; District 1 in runoff

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

photo Steve Tarvin

2014 Georgia primary elections results

VOTE TOTALSRepublican primaryState House Representative District 1John Deffenbaugh -- 1,519Robert Goff -- 941Alan Painter -- 915Republican primaryState House Representative District 2Steve Tarvin -- 2,661L.E. "Ebeth" Edwards -- 972Rebecca Ann Brown -- 406Republican primaryState Senate District 53Jeff Mullis -- 6,704Thomas Dooley -- 3,064Note: All results are unofficial until certified.

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Voters in North Georgia Republican primaries decided the Senate District 53 and House District 2 seats for the next term.

Republican incumbent Steve Tarvin was a primary victor in House District 2 in a three-way races.

Tarvin had more than 60 percent of the vote at press time to beat out L.E. "Ebeth" Edwards with 25 percent and Rebecca Ann Brown, with 9 percent, at a distant third in the GOP District 2 primary.

Tarvin will become the seat holder since there is no Democratic candidate vying for the post, but in District 1 incumbent John Deffenbaugh apparently will be in a runoff with Robert Goff. The winner will face Democrat Thomas McMahan in November.

Tarvin, a pro-gun Republican, filled former House Rep. Jay Neal's seat when Neal resigned for a state post. Tarvin in February won a runoff election against Lafayette mayor Neal Florence and was able to attend the General Assembly for half the session.

Deffenbaugh, with 1,519 votes, led Painter, with 915 votes, and Goff, who carried Dade County and netted 941.

Deffenbaugh said he was "hoping some miracle will happen so I won't have to go to a runoff. It's just a matter of what the people want," he said.

Meanwhile, incumbent Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, won handily over his primary opponent Tom Dooley for the Senate District 53 seat, a result that decides that post since there is no Democratic challenger for August. Mullis has held the seat since 2000.

Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.