Bill Lee, a businessman from Franklin, has won the Republican primary for Tennessee Governor.
Four GOP front-runners were vying to succeed popular Republican Governor Bill Haslam, who’s hitting term limits.
Lee ran in the Republican primary against former state economic development Commissioner Randy Boyd of Knoxville, U.S. Representative Diane Black of Gallatin, and State House Speaker Beth Harwell of Nashville.
Lee is a cattle farmer and chairman of a mechanical contracting, facilities, and home services company.
The Republicans' focus on conservative credentials and loyalty to President Donald Trump, including tough talk on immigration, incited in-fighting among some of the candidates about who's not as conservative as they claimed during their campaigns.
Each of the four Republican candidates added millions of dollars in personal wealth to their campaigns, amounting to a record-setting total of about $33 million.
Lee will face former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean in November after Dean won the Democratic primary Thursday evening.
