Chas Sisk

csisk@tennessean.com

U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais was clinging to what appeared to be a narrow victory over challenger Jim Tracy, defeating the state senator by 35 votes.

With all precincts reported, the secretary of state's office reported that DesJarlais, R-South Pittsburg, had defeated the Shelbyville Republican, 34,787 votes to 34,752 votes.

The results are unofficial. Tennessee does not have an automatic recount law, but a candidate can request one from state and party officials. There also could be uncounted absentee or provisional ballots.

Earlier in the evening, Tracy declared victory in the Republican primary for the 4th Congressional District, but late returns from Grundy County, a rural district close to DesJarlais' home, appeared to push the incumbent over the top.

"We're glad that the voters chose to judge the congressman on his record in Washington, rather than the disgusting, disingenuous smear tactics propogated by Sen. Tracy's campaign," said Robert Jameson, a DesJarlais spokeman.

The winner takes on Monteagle accountant Lenda Sherrell, the only Democrat in the race, and Signal Mountain engineer Robert Rankin Doggart, an independent.

The primary essentially has served a referendum on DesJarlais. The congressman has been ranked as the fourth most conservative representative, a strong credential among Republicans in the 4th Congressional District, but he nonetheless was widely predicted to lose after court records from his 2001 divorce were released to the public shortly after he cinched re-election in November 2012.

Those records showed that DesJarlais had affairs with patients before his divorce was finalized and encouraged one woman with whom he'd been involved to seek an abortion. The pro-life Republican also supported two abortions by his former wife, Susan.

DesJarlais asked voters to judge him based on his more recent actions and his relationship with his current wife, Amy. The question was whether they would.

Tracy jumped into the race just two months after the 2012 election, quickly sewing up endorsements from top Republicans around the state. Their support helped him outraise the incumbent by about $1 million, an unusual advantage for the challenger in a Republican primary.

Tracy used that money to tell voters he would bring "integrity" to the office, a coded counterpoint to DesJarlais that stopped short of bringing up the congressman's personal life explicitly.

In his remarks just before 10:30 p.m. Thursday night, Tracy thanked supporters for helping him deliver that message.

"When you take on an incumbent, it's a tremendous challenge," he said. "It took all of you to get this done."

Reach Chas Sisk at 615-259-8283 and on Twitter @chassisk.