U.S. Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., easily brushed aside a Republican primary challenger on Tuesday.
With 99 percent of the vote in, Rutherford had 80 percent of the vote. Educator and businessman Erick Aguilar had 20 percent.
With the primary win in the books, Rutherford now heads to November where he will take on Democratic candidate Donna Deegan. A well-known figure on the First Coast for her activism on breast cancer issues and her many years as a local news anchor, Deegan is the prominent Democratic candidate for this congressional seat in decades.
Gary Koniz, a veteran and political activist, is running as a write-in candidate.
Still, the district favors Republicans and Rutherford has been a solid candidate during his three terms as Duval County sheriff and when he has run for Congress. First elected to Congress in 2016, Rutherford sits on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee.
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
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