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Dudgeon headed to state legislature
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Mike Dudgeon won the Republican party's nomination for the District 24 state House seat in Tuesday's primary and has no Democratic opposition in November. - photo by Jennifer Sami

Surrounded by friends, Mike Dudgeon was all smiles Tuesday night when he learned he would be the next District 24 state representative.

"I'm happy," he said. "I'm really proud of my grassroots effort. I think this was really a victory for all the people who really worked hard for me."

Dudgeon received nearly 53 percent of the vote to secure the Republican party's nomination in the primary.

He was followed by Anna McManus, who got 37 percent, and Douglas Wright, with about 10 percent.

No Democrats are running.

Though she battled hard in the race, McManus said she was content with the results.

"As I said all along, he's a good person and a good conservative and he'll represent the district well," she said of Dudgeon.

Wright, who took a hiatus from his political background to raise his children, said he was "happy for the experience."

"Obviously, you would love to win," he said. "It feels good to have met and earned the respect of the people that did vote for me.

"Anything I can do for [Dudgeon], I will to help out and make sure he's successful for Forsyth."

Nearly 8,060 people voted in the District 24 race, with 4,254 ballots cast for Dudgeon.

McManus drew 2,979 votes and 825 went to Wright.

The incumbents in Forsyth County's other two state House seats -- Mark Hamilton in District 23 and Amos Amerson in District 9, both Republicans -- did not draw any opposition from either political party.

Also running unopposed is state District 27 Sen. Jack Murphy of Cumming.

Forsyth's other state Senate post, District 51, pits Republican Steve Gooch, a Dahlonega businessman, against Democrat Joseph Mann of Mineral Bluff in the Nov. 2 general election.

The seat is currently held by Chip Pearson of Dawsonville, who is not seeking re-election.

Hamilton received 7,484 votes and Amerson 6,715 votes in Tuesday's Republican primary.

Murphy garnered about 22,497 votes across his district, which includes Forsyth and Cherokee counties.

Gooch gathered about 19,521 votes in his district, which covers parts of Forsyth, Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Union and White counties. On the Democratic side, Mann received about 3,898 votes.

Dudgeon said while he's got much to do in preparation for his new role, he's going to serve out the remainder of his term on the Forsyth County Board of Education, which ends in December.

He also said he will also be working closely with Hamilton and Murphy to "help me get up to speed."