Blountville businessman Timothy Hill's second attempt at winning Tennessee's 3rd House District GOP primary was successful Thursday.
Hill defeated former Mountain City Mayor Kevin Parsons and Bluff City Republicans Karen Greene Morrell and Thomas White.
Hill garnered 2,851 votes compared to 1,544 for Parsons, 876 for Morrell, and 85 for White.
In forums across the district, Hill insisted he was the conservative choice in the race.
Hill's front-running fund raising was fueled by connections with local lawmakers, and he received campaign contributions from out-of-district sources. He also got an in-kind $7,000 gift from a political action committee controlled by his brother, GOP state Rep. Matthew Hill of Jonesborough, according to filings with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance.
Timothy Hill reported having more than $30,000 cash on hand at the end of the pre-primary fund-raising period. His fund-raising report also showed he made more than $15,000 in personal loans to his campaign.
Timothy Hill had been endorsed by the state employees political action committee, but he failed to win the endorsement of the pro-life group Tennessee Right To Life (TRL).
That TRL endorsement was taken by Parsons, who also garnered the endorsement of retiring state Rep. Scotty Campbell, a Mountain City Republican who defeated Timothy Hill in the 2010 GOP primary.
Timothy Hill said voters remembered him from his campaign two years ago.
"They remembered I was positive and we were able to communicate solutions this time and do it in a positive fashion. Folks gravitated around the conservative message," he said.
Timothy Hill is also a former press secretary for ex-U.S. Rep. David Davis and son of Tennessee Regulatory Authority Chairman Kenneth Hill.
Timothy Hill will face Democrat Leah Kirk in the November general election.
The 3rd House District includes parts of Sullivan and Carter counties, and all of Johnson County.