Freshman U.S. Rep. David Davis has been defeated in the 1st District Republican primary by Johnson City Mayor Phil Roe. Roe, a retired physician, beat Davis by 500 votes to become the first candidate to upset an incumbent Tennessee congressman in a primary election since 1966. Roe says he has forgiven Davis for things he’s said about him after attending church this past weekend…..
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Davis went home last night without conceding the race, but Roe declared victory in a speech to supporters. Roe will face off against Democrat Rob Russell in the November election. Meanwhile, in Sullivan County voters picked Larry Hall and Bart Long to fill the seats of the late Howard Patrick and Ralph Harr. Bob Icenhour had no opposition for property assessor and in the school board race, Jack Bales, Jim Kiss, Ronald Smith and Betty Combs were all re-elected. Meanwhile, citizens of Elizabethton will see a slight increase at the register when shopping. A referendum passed that takes the current tax rate from 9.25-percent to 9.75-percent. The money is desperately needed since the city could be looking at more then 7-million dollars in repairs to the roofs, plumbing, and infrastructure of the school facilities. roe.mp3