Will Dismukes concedes to challenger Jerry Starnes in House District 88 Republican primary race

PRATTVILLE — Election results were not in Tuesday night for the House District 88 Republican primary race, but incumbent Will Dismukes conceded to challenger Jerry Starnes.

"I called Jerry about 9 o'clock and congratulated him," Dismukes said.

No Democratic candidate has qualified to run for the office.

Complete but unofficial results show Starnes collected 4,096 votes to Dismukes' 2,517.

"I'm very appreciative of the support I received from the voters of District 88," said Starnes, Prattville's City Council president. "Will called me and conceded. That was a class thing to do. I'm ready to get to work and move House District 88 forward."

Alabama primary results: See live vote totals as they're reported election night

Starnes is a supervisor for parole officers for the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles and serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Army National Guard. This is his third term on the council.

Both men are from Prattville. Dismukes owns a flooring company.

Dismukes has had a controversial tenure. In June he was indicted by the Montgomery County Grand jury on a single charge of felony theft of property. According to the indictment, Dismukes allegedly "...gained control of flooring or construction materials valued at more than $2,500" while working for Weiss Flooring. The alleged theft was before he went to the Legislature.

In previous interviews he maintained his innocence and said he was looking forward to his day in court and clearing his name. The trial date has not been set.

Dismukes called serving four years in the Legislature an "honor."

"It is an honor that I will cherish forever," he said. "I wish Jerry nothing but the best. I will be praying for his leadership serving in District 88."

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Will Dismukes concedes to Jerry Starnes: Alabama House District 88