UPDATE: Republican Steven McNeel wins District 18 Senate runoff

Unofficial results show McNeel winning with nearly 60 percent of the vote after all precincts reported.

UPDATE (10:20 p.m.) – Republican Steven McNeel has won the runoff election for Georgia State Senate District 18, according to unofficial results posted by the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office.

With all precincts reporting across the district, McNeel received 59.42 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat LeMario Nicholas Brown, who finished with 40.58 percent.

In Bibb County, all 10 precincts reported results showing McNeel with 60.52 percent of the vote to Brown’s 39.48 percent.

Results remain unofficial pending certification by state election officials.

ORIGINAL STORY (9:56 p.m.):

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Republican Steven McNeel appears poised to win the Georgia State Senate District 18 runoff, leading Democrat LeMario Nicholas Brown as nearly all precincts reported Tuesday night.

According to unofficial results posted by the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office as of 9:36 p.m., McNeel was leading with 59.28 percent of the vote districtwide, compared to 40.72 percent for Brown.

District 18 includes Crawford, Monroe, Peach, and Upson counties, along with portions of Bibb and Houston counties.

In Bibb County, where 9 of 10 precincts had at least partially reported, McNeel held a lead with 60.14 percent of the vote to Brown’s 39.86 percent, according to the state website.

McNeel also carried Crawford, Monroe, and Upson counties, while Brown led in Houston and Peach counties.

The runoff followed a January special election in which no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, sending the top two finishers to Tuesday’s contest.

The seat became vacant after former state Sen. John Kennedy resigned while running for lieutenant governor.