Republican Greg Vital claims victory,
NASHVILLE — Republican Greg Vital was leading in early returns Tuesday night in the Tennessee House District 29 special election and claimed victory.
Vital, a Georgetown businessman, had 1,801 votes to Democrat DeAngelo Jelks’ 584 when early and absentee votes were counted.
Vital’s campaign was confident enough in its modeling to say he won the contest to replace the late Rep. Mike Carter, R-Ooltewah, in the solidly Republican district.
Carter’s widow, Joan Carter, had been appointed to serve in her late husband’s seat until the election.
“Thank you #HD29 residents for entrusting me to represent you in the Gen. Assembly,” Vital said on Twitter. “I will carry Mike and Joan’s torch of good governance and leadership. I will always put you FIRST!”
Jelks was engulfed in the campaign’s final hours by allegations of rape by a woman who worked in Jelks’ campaign. He said on Tuesday the two had an affair, and it was consensual. Jelks is a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve and a married father of two.
Vital, 65, a former Collegedale city commissioner who in 2012 lost a close state Senate District 10 Republican primary to Todd Gardenhire of Chattanooga, also said “I will always put what matters most first — you. That means standing for life, defending the Constitution, supporting our businesses and protecting our conservative values.”
It was the only race on the ballot. In addition to Collegedale and Ooltewah, the district includes parts of Chattanooga as well as the Harrison and Sale Creek areas of the county. It is heavily Republican.
Vital took no chances in what was expected to be a low-turnout election where nothing else was on the ballot to draw voters. He spent nearly $121,000 through Sept. 4, according to his pre-general election disclosure filed Sept. 7, the deadline for the mandatory filing.
Jelks last reported on July 23 that he had expenditures of about $12,000 over the course of the campaign. As of Tuesday, he had not filed his required pre-general election disclosure.
Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550. Follow him on Twitter @AndySher1.