Rep. Davis Loses In Tennessee GOP Primary

August 8, 2008 8:29 a.m. EST

Nashville, TN (AHN) - Rep. David Davis narrowly lost the Republican primary for Tennessee's first congressional district Thursday night, becoming the first incumbent congressman in the state to lose since 1966.

Johnson City Mayor Phil Roe beat out Davis by only 500 votes or 50.1 to 49.2 percent. Davis is expected to win in November, as the heavily Republican district hasn't voted for a Democrat in a century.

Roe, a 63-year-old retired physician, had tied Davis to "Big Oil." He came in fourth in the 2006 GOP primary against Davis, who won that 12-man contest with less than one-quarter of all votes. However, the city mayor's campaign came back roaring this year, out raising Davis and gaining key newspaper endorsements.

Davis is the fourth Republican incumbent from the House to lose a primary this election cycle, after Reps. Chris Cannon (R-UT),Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) and Al Wynn (D-MD).