David Perdue wins Senate primary runoff

ATLANTA — Republican voters in Georgia chose David Perdue as their Senate nominee after a bruising nine-week runoff.

Businessman Perdue beat Rep. Jack Kingston by just over 1 percent in a late-night finish. Kingston conceded the race just before 11 p.m.

• LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS

Perdue will compete against Democrat Michelle Nunn for a seat Republicans can ill afford to lose as they look to take control of the Senate.

The race between Kingston and Perdue remained neck-and-neck throughout most of Tuesday night.

It was 18 months on the campaign trail, including 15 debates and thousands of calls to voters.

The closely-watched campaign was shaped largely by each candidate's personal history rather than the issues. The two are both conservatives in a state that has been dominated in recent years by Republicans who hold every statewide office.

The race focused on whether Kingston's 11 terms in Congress were an asset or a liability, a sign he's a proven conservative or part of the gridlock in Washington. Voters apparently believed he was part of the gridlock in Washington.

WSBTV