NASHVILLE – Scandal-battered U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais continues to hold onto his narrow lead as election officials wrap up the count of provisional ballots from last week’s Republican primary.
An Associated Press tally Thursday showed DesJarlais maintaining a lead of several dozen votes over state Sen. Jim Tracy.
The Aug. 7 voting ended with DesJarlais holding onto his District 4 seat by 35 votes. Since then, officials have added provisional ballots, which include voters who did not have proper ID on election day.
Bedford County had the most provisional ballots at 14. Elections Administrator Summer Leverette said one went to Tracy.
In Rutherford County, none of the eight provisional ballots went to DesJarlais or Tracy. However, Grundy and Maury counties had two ballots each, and DesJarlais got one in each county.