Even with an endorsement from presumptive GOP Presidential nominee Donald Trump, Second District Congresswoman Renee Ellmers was soundly defeated in the US House primary on Tuesday.
Ellmers, who has served 3 terms in Washington, D.C. having been elected with strong tea party support six years ago, was defeated by fellow Republican Congressman George Holding, a former federal prosecutor.
After new congressional maps were drawn in February, Holding decided against running for reelection in the 13th district, which now leans Democrat, instead opting to challenge Ellmers in the six county 2nd District.
In unofficial results, Holding received 53 percent of the votes (16,999) to Ellmers 24 percent (7527). She was followed closely by third place candidate Dr. Greg Brannon with 23 percent (7320).
Holding, who first won election in 2012, will move on to the General Election on November 8th to face John P. McNeil of Raleigh who won the Democratic primary on Tuesday for the 2nd District US House.
McNeil carried 46 percent (7,564) of the votes Tuesday to Jane Watson’s 23 percent (3,847), Steven E. Hight with 12 percent (1856), Ron Sanyal with 11 percent (1749) and Elton R. Brewington with 8 percent (1,380) in unofficial results.
In results from only Johnston County, on the Republican ticket, Holding received 1,951 votes, Ellmers 994, and Brannon 932.
On the Democratic side, McNeil received 641, Watson 416, Brewington 212, Hight 146, and Sanyal 130 in unofficial returns.
As anticipated turnout was very light with only about 7 percent of voters turning out to cast a ballot during the special election.
