NEWTON COUNTY — GOP representatives from Newton County were in the winner’s circle on Tuesday night after all of the ballots were counted. 

District 114 State Representative Tim Fleming (R-Covington) defeated challenger Vernon Jones to advance to November’s general election for Secretary of State. Mike Collins (R-Jackson), who represents parts of Newton County in the 10th Congressional District, defeated challenger Derek Dooley to win the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.

Fleming earns Republican nomination for Secretary of State in a landslide

Fleming entered Tuesday’s runoff with a surge of momentum from May. The Newton County native earned 39.3% of the vote in the general election, just under 12 points higher than Jones.

Almost immediately, Fleming took a commanding lead with 66% after one-third of the statewide results were posted. By 8:02 p.m., Fleming was declared the winner, ending with 64.6% of the vote.

Fleming dominated the voting cycle in Newton County once again, earning 85% of the vote.

“I’m excited to have won the Republican nomination tonight for Georgia Secretary of State,” Fleming said in a video posted to his Facebook page. “Thank you for the overwhelming support. We’re going to work hard and fight towards November to make sure we win the election.”

Fleming will face Democratic challenger Penny Brown Reynolds, a former judge and reality show star, after she defeated Fulton County Commissioner Dana Barrett.

Collins defeats Dooley in contested race for Republican U.S. Senate bid

Collins was considered the favorite to defeat Dooley in Tuesday’s election after taking first place in May’s general election and earning an eleventh-hour endorsement from President Donald Trump. But Dooley, who was backed by Gov. Brian Kemp, did not make it easy.

The former football coach kept the race close throughout the evening, even earning a 100-vote lead over Collins in Newton County an hour after polls closed. The congressman, however, began to pull away as more results came in, ending the night with 55% of the statewide vote. He finished with 356 votes more than Dooley in Newton County.

Collins thanked his supporters last night on social media while also attacking his November opponent Jon Ossoff and other U.S. House Democrats.

“Georgia, I’m humbled. Last night you sent a clear message: this state is ready for a workhorse who delivers, not a rubber stamp for the radical left,” Collins wrote. “Jon Ossoff has spent years in Washington doing the bidding of Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer while Georgians paid the price at the pump, at the grocery store, and at the border. That ends in November.”

Ossoff is looking to earn a second six-year term as one of two U.S. senators from Georgia. He defeated David Perdue in 2020 to become Georgia’s first elected Democratic senator since 1997.

Newton County sides with Rick Jackson in Governor’s race

In the toss-up race for Governor, Newton County voters sided with Rick Jackson, who defeated Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones on Tuesday to earn the GOP nomination for governor. Jackson earned 3,309 votes compared to Jones 3,080 in what was a 7% turnout.

Jackson finished in second place behind Jones in May and faced two major obstacles in the form of endorsements from Trump and Kemp. But the billionaire healthcare executive took an early lead at 60% a third of the way through the night. Despite Jones’ best efforts to close the gap, Jackson finished with 52.7% of the statewide vote to clinch the GOP nomination.

Jackson will now face Democratic challenger and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in November.

Full Newton County election results

U.S. Senate (R)

Mike Collins - 3,360

Derek Dooley - 3,004

Governor (R)

Rick Jackson - 3,309

Burt Jones - 3,080

Lt. Governor (R)

Greg Dolezal - 3,329

John F. Kennedy - 2,957

Lt. Governor (D)

Nabilah Parkes - 2,345

Josh McLaurin (Overall race winner) - 1,954

Secretary of State (R)

Tim Fleming - 5,010

Vernon Jones - 1,266

Secretary of State (D)

Penny Brown Reynolds - 3,201

Dana Barrett - 1,098

State Superintendent (R)

Bubba Longgrear - 3,101

Richard Woods (i)(Overall race winner) - 3,017

Insurance Commissioner (D)

Keisha Sean Waites - 2,714

DeAndre Mathis - 1,572

Labor Commissioner (D)

Nikki Porcher - 2,817

Michelle Sanchez - 1,454

Public Service Commission District 5 (R)

Josh Tolbert - 3,201

Bobby Mehan - 2,524