Republican Greg Murphy wins special election in NC’s 3rd District

Republican state Rep. Greg Murphy is projected to win the special election Tuesday in North Carolina’s 3rd District for a seat vacated following the death of Republican Rep. Walter Jones Jr. earlier this year.

Murphy bested Democrat Allen Thomas, the former mayor of Greenville, in the coastal North Carolina district by about 20 points with 75 percent of the district’s precincts reporting.{mosads}

The district, which backed President Trump over Hillary Clinton by more than 23 points in 2016, was expected to remain in Republican hands.

“One down, one to go – Greg Murphy is projected to win in the Great State of North Carolina! #NC03,” Trump celebrated on Twitter.

There is also a hotly contested special election Tuesday in North Carolina’s 9th District, where GOP state Rep. Dan Bishop is facing off against Democrat Dan McCready.