Winning by the slimmest of margins, Trump-backed lieutenant governor candidate advances

Georgia Sen. Burt Jones claimed a slim majority to win the Republican primary for lieutenant governor and advance to the Nov. 8 general election.

Jones avoided a runoff by 813 votes in a race that saw 1.11 million ballots cast. He finished with 50.07% of the vote. The runner-up, Georgia Sen. Butch Miller, conceded the race on Friday. He finished with 31.12% of the vote.

Election 2022: Here's who is running for Lieutenant Governor in Georgia

Elections 2022: Several Georgia primary election races headed for unexpected runoffs

Jones won't learn his Democratic opponent for the general election for a month. Kwanza Hall and Charlie Bailey are headed to a June 21 runoff. Hall was the top vote getter with 30.14%; Bailey garnered 17.64.

With his win, Jones became the only Donald Trump-endorsed candidate for state office to advance to the general election. Trump's picks for governor, secretary of state, attorney general and Insurance commissioner all lost.

The only other statewide Trump endorsee to win was Herschel Walker, who is running for U.S. Senate.

What's an election runoff?: Why are runoffs necessary? Here's what you need to know

For subscribers: 3 things to know about Georgia U.S. Senate race: Celebrity brands, big money and turnout

Jones is a business owner from Jackson, a small town located near Interstate 75 between Macon and Atlanta. He's served in the Georgia General Assembly since 2012.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Trump-backed lieutenant governor candidate Burt Jones wins