Greg Howard woke up Wednesday morning refreshed after his first good night's sleep in weeks.

Gwinnett County's seemingly endless Republican primary was finally over for the chairman of the local GOP chapter, as well as for candidates seeking to become the party's nominees for County Commission chairman and District 1 commissioner.

Vino Wong/vwong@ajc.com (ENLARGE)

Incumbent Charles Bannister celebrates his runoff election victory with wife, Glenda, and granddaughter Amelia Pereira, 8, at the Marriott Gwinnett Place on Tuesday night.

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No more comments from residents flustered over campaign charges and counter-charges. No more mailers to provoke them. Just a weary glance toward November and Democratic challengers generally considered a modest hurdle in Republican Gwinnett — where Republican voters in the July 15 primary for chairman outnumbered Democrats by a 3-1 margin.

"I feel very good," Howard said Wednesday after talking with candidates by telephone and proclaiming that the wounds of a sometimes abrasive campaign were already beginning to heal. "We're not going to be complacent about it."

In the chairman's race, incumbent Charles Bannister won with 51.4 percent of the vote in a runoff that saw unexpectedly high turnout — 9.76 percent of registered voters instead of the 5 percent to 6 percent forecast by election officials.

In District 1, former Duluth Mayor Shirley Lasseter beat political newcomer Bruce LeVell with 61 percent of the vote in their runoff.

Bannister will face general election opposition from Democrat Vincent Passariello. Lasseter will be unopposed.

Bannister's victory was an impressive one in a political climate unfavorable for incumbents, said Buzz Brockway, a political blogger and former county GOP chairman.

"I think Bannister was able to make the case that he had changed things over his first term," Brockway said. "I think he was able to convince folks that he will be able to continue that."

Bannister said he was confident all along that he would win.

"I don't think I was ever out of favor," said Bannister, who avoided the fate of his predecessor, Wayne Hill, in winning in the runoff.

In 2004, Bannister forced Hill into a runoff and then beat him and went on to win the general election.

Lorraine Green, Gwinnett County's District 1 commissioner who challenged Bannister for the chairman's seat, did not return a telephone message left on her cellphone Wednesday by deadline for this article.

Despite some tense words between Bannister and Sheriff Butch Conway, who endorsed Green, the chairman said he does not anticipate any difficulties working with anyone on county policies.

Conway did not return a phone message Wednesday by deadline for this article.

"I don't look backwards. I don't intend to look over my shoulder," Bannister said. "I'll work with anyone who wants to work with me."

That would include Lasseter, who many in Gwinnett political circles say will be an ally for Bannister on the commission.

Bannister said he has never worked with Lasseter but welcomes her help should she choose to offer it.

"I hope that the person coming on the board will be one who has an ambition to set policy and work toward what is best for Gwinnett County," he said.

Bannister said he wants to start working immediately on the county's new budget. He also wants to begin dealing with state officials over Gov. Sonny Perdue's decision to suspend payments to counties under a homeowners tax relief grant program — money Gwinnett County may need to make up.

Other priorities Bannister mentioned tackling if he wins in the November general election are to continue working on water issues, bringing new jobs to the county and dealing with traffic congestion.

"We've got a full plate," he said.