State Rep. Sandy Adams was clinging to a 0.8 percentage-point lead over Winter Park City Commissioner Karen Diebel in the 24th Congressional District Republican primary early this morning.
With 99.6 percent of the vote counted, Adams was leading with 30.1 percent of the vote, Diebel had 29.3 percent and businessman Craig Miller had 27.7 percent. The margin between Adams and Diebel was less than 600 votes.
The winner will face first-term Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach, in the Nov. 2 election. Kosmas easily won her primary, defeating Paul Partyka.
None of the GOP candidates was available for comment, but they had plenty to say during the hotly contested race in which Miller, a former national restaurant-chain executive, was accused of being soft on immigration, and Adams and Diebel called each other big spenders.
Adams, R-Oveido, carried Orange and Seminole counties while Diebel carried Volusia County and Miller led in Brevard County, according to incomplete results posted by the state Division of Elections.
Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 559-4719.
