Republican Andrew Clyde handily defeated Democratic challenger Devin Pandy Tuesday, Nov. 3, to become the U.S. House 9th District representative. 

“It was a great win,” Clyde said. “I’m very humbled by the voters of the 9th District and their strong support of our campaign and the platform on which I stand. I’m very honored by it and look forward to representing the entire 9th District in Washington, D.C.” 

Clyde will succeed U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, R-Gainesville, who vacated his seat to seek the U.S. Senate seat held by Kelly Loeffler. 

Clyde, 56, an Athens gun store owner and Jackson County resident, has said his top issues are gun rights, rural broadband improvements and opposing abortion.  

“This campaign is not about me,” he said. “It’s about saving the unborn, it’s about protecting and restoring our constitutional rights under the Second Amendment. It’s about securing our country’s borders, and it’s about defending and protecting our law enforcement and giving them the support they need in order to uphold our laws.” 

Pandy, in conceding the race to Clyde, told supporters gathered at Ramada by Wyndham hotel in Gainesville, “I do not see this as defeat. I see this as a progress report. We know how much ground we have gained and how much further we need to go. 

“Every vote that we pulled in is just a testament to the amount of people out there who believe in justice, who believe in human nature and decency,” said Pandy, 46, who has worked as an actor and is retired from the Army. “We may have a ways to go, but we are already on that journey.”

See original story from the Gainesville Times here.