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Republican Richard Hudson won the Republican primary in Scotland County and had a lead across the district at press time, according to unofficial results.

Hudson faced Scott Keadle in Tuesday’s runoff primary for the 8th Congressional District. The winner will face incumbent Democrat Larry Kissell and write-in candidate Antonio Blue.

According to the Scotland County Board of Elections, Hudson received 55.7 percent of votes cast. Keadle trailed with about 44 percent of the votes.

The Concord-based former congressional aide got a total of 141 votes in Scotland County to Keadle’s 112 here.

At press time, with nine of the 8th District’s 12 counties reporting, Hudson led Keadle with 65.7 percent of the vote. Montgomery, Richmond, and Scotland had yet to report their results to the state Board of Elections. Precincts closed across the state at 7:30 p.m.

In other Republican races, Dan Forest received 147 Scotland County votes over Tony Gurley’s 80 to become that party’s lieutenant governor candidate. At press time, Forest was ahead of Gurley statewide, with 68.2 percent of the vote.

With 114 votes Mike Causey finished ahead of Richard Morgan with 104 votes to become the Republican candidate for Commissioner of Insurance. Causey was ahead of Morgan at press time, with 58.3 percent of the vote statewide.

For the Republican nomination to the position of N.C. Secretary of State, Ed Goodwin received 115 Scotland County votes over opponent Kenn Gardner, who came in with 94. With 53.2 percent of the vote, Goodwin led the race statewide at press time.

Running for the nomination as N.C. State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Richard Alexander nosed ahead of John Tedesco 124 votes to 87. At press time, John Tedesco led statewide with 54.4 percent of votes.

Running on the Democratic ballot, John C. Brooks edged in front of opponent Marlowe Foster for the party’s nomination as N.C. Commissioner of Labor 96 votes to 72. With 55 percent of the vote, Brooks led the race statewide.

A total of 423 voters cast ballots in Tuesday’s runoff in Scotland County. That is less that 2 percent of Scotland’s 22,086 registered voters.

“That is more than I thought would vote today,” said Dell Parker, Scotland County elections director. “it is not a great turnout, but for a second primary it was OK. We wish the numbers were bigger, but it its what it is.”

The cost of the statewide runoff is between $6 million and $7 million from state and local sources according to the state Board of Elections. The cost includes producing ballots, many which will never be used due to low turnout, and staffing voting precincts statewide.