With 100 percent of precincts reporting, challenger Eddie DeLoach has beaten incumbent Savannah Edna Jackson in her bid for re-election.
The results as tabulated by WTOC, a Savannah TV station, give DeLoach, a former Chatham County commissioner, 54 percent of the vote. Issues in the contest were a stew of race – DeLoach is white, Jackson is black – and crime and corruption.
In other races, with three of four counties reporting, Larry Walker, son of the former House majority leader, was on his way to beating four challengers in the special election to replace state Sen. Ross Tolleson, R-Perry. Tolleson resigned after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. All candidates are Republican.
Outside the race for mayor of Savannah, the stunner this evening may be the state Senate race to replace Ron Ramsey, a Democrat from Lithonia. Republican Janice Frey Van Ness is on the verge of an upset over Democrat Tonya Anderson. With all counties reporting, Van Ness has an 87-vote margin. This would increase the Republican majority in the chamber to beyond super-status.
A few minutes ago, Senate President pro tem David Shafer, R-Duluth, hinted strongly of a stolen march on Democrats:
In a District that Obama won with 71% of the vote two years ago, JaNice Van Ness won an amazing victory today. She unabashedly ran on conservative principles, and the voters from Senate District 43 decisively responded.
Also, in the House District 122 race to replace Ben Harbin, Jodi Lott is cruising to a victory over Mack Taylor. This could matter in the January fight over S.B. 129, the "religious liberty" bill. Lott had the backing of local business groups.
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