Camilla Republican wins southwest Georgia special House election

A Republican county chairman from Camilla will head to the state House to fill a vacant southwest Georgia seat.

Joe Campbell, chairman of the Mitchell County Republican Party, received the most votes in a three-way race to fill the House District 171 seat that previously was held by state Rep. Jay Powell, a Camilla Republican who died in November.

Campbell received about 58.3% of the nearly 5,000 ballots cast on Tuesday, according to unofficial results from the Secretary of State's office. Jewell Howard, a Baconton Democrat who is a retired teacher, in secured about 33.6% of votes cast. Howard lost to Powell in 2012.

Tommy Akridge, a farmer who also is a Republican from Camilla, came in third place was about 8% of the vote.

House District 171 covers parts of Colquitt, Decatur and Mitchell counties.

Campbell will serve the remainder of Powell’s term, which ends in January. A general election for the seat will be held in November.

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