Chris West wins Republican primary to take on Georgia Rep. Sanford Bishop
Chris West, right, and Jeremy Hunt at the Atlanta Press Club runoff debate in June. Photo: Brynn Anderson/AP
Despite being outspent at least 11-to-1, Chris West defeated Jeremy Hunt in the Republican primary runoff in Georgia's 2nd Congressional District on Tuesday night, per AP.
Why it matters: West, an attorney and officer in Georgia's Air National Guard, will take on Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.) in what is considered Georgia's only competitive congressional race in November.
Driving the news: Hunt, an Army veteran and law school student, received more than $1 million in outside funding from national groups, and scored endorsements from national Republicans including Nikki Haley and Sen. Tom Cotton. West received no outside money.
Catch up quick: West, an attorney, lifelong resident of the district and officer in Georgia's Air National Guard, sought to characterize Hunt as someone who'd only moved to the district this year and been funded by Washington money.
- A first-round primary opponent, Wayne Johnson, filed suit against Hunt and Fox News last week, alleging the network aided Hunt's campaign by giving him more than $2.8 million worth of airtime as a commentator.
What they're saying: West told Axios in a prior interview: “We want to send somebody to Washington to represent us, not Washington sending somebody to us, to represent us in Washington.”
What's next: Bishop, who has represented the largely rural southwest Georgia district for three decades and serves as chairman of the Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee, has nearly $800,000 in cash on hand.