Republican Doctor Neal Dunn came out on top with about a two percentage point difference between him and his opponent Attorney Mary Thomas. Attorney Ken Sukhia took third with about 19 percent of state votes.
Going into November, Dunn says he will not be changing his campaign strategies to appeal to all voters in District Two.
“No, I don’t think it needs to change at all," Dunn says.
Instead, he’s putting faith in his district’s conservative electorate.
“This district is a fundamentally conservative district that believes in small government," he says, "that believes in the power of small businesses and the right for people to choose for themselves. That’s true with Democrats and Republicans. So no, I see no change in the election strategy.”
Dunn accepted his nomination in Panama City, Fla.
Meanwhile in Tallahassee’s Southwood neighborhood, Thomas’ campaign kicked reporters out of their watch party event, saying the candidate wished to speak to her supporters in private.
Mary Thomas campaign kicked press out of viewing party. Says they wanted to talk to supporters alone. @WFSUNews
— Victoria Whitley-Berry (@_toriwhitley) August 31, 2016
Just got kicked out of the Mary Thomas watch party . Lied too and had door closed in my face
— james call (@CallTallahassee) August 31, 2016
Her campaign staff said she would then give a statement to reporters.
Instead, her campaign manager Matt Joiner addressed reporters, saying Thomas congratulated Dunn for the nomination and thanked her supporters.
When asked if Thomas would be coming out, Joiner said: “No further comment.”
As for Sukhia, he says he will still be practicing law with his private firm.
“That’s the plan, yes," he says outside of his firm on North Gadsen Street. "In fact I’ve continued to do legal work while running in this campaign, work that I had on my plate that I had to properly finish on behalf of my clients.”
On the other side of the aisle, the race is too close to call.
As of midnight on Wednesday morning, neither Walter Dartland nor Steve Crapps have been selected as the nominee. According to Florida Election Watch, Dartland leads Crapps by only twenty-two tenths of a percent.
For more news updates, follow Tori Whitley on Twitter: @_toriwhitley.
