Paul Rose wins the special senate GOP primary election
Covington businessman Paul Rose coasted to victory Jan. 24 in the special Republican primary election for Tennessee Senate District 32, according to the final but unofficial election night tally.
Rose will face Democrat Eric Coleman of Memphis in the special general election March 12 to fill the seat formerly occupied by Collierville Republican Mark Norris, the former senate majority leader last year confirmed as a federal judge.
Rose beat out Shelby County Commissioners Heidi Shafer and George Chism, as well as former state Rep. Steve Mcmanus. He received 36 percent of the votes in Shelby County, equivalent to 2,266 votes total, according to numbers from the Shelby County Election Commission.
Shelby County Election Commission officials indicated there was a low turnout in early voting — but were hopeful turnout improved on Election Day.
District 32 encompasses 27 precincts, including precincts located in: Collierville, Arlington, Bartlett, Eads, Brunswick and Lakeland. More than 106,000 people are registered voters in District 32, or about 20 percent of the total of Shelby County registered voters, according to the elections commission.
The four Republicans who ran for the district seat sat in on a debate on education funding, opioid addictions and other issues this month.