The 44-year-old former architect beat out 56-year-old pharmacy owner Tony Gurley. The two met in a runoff because neither garnered the 40 percent of the votes in May necessary to avoid a primary runoff.
Forest campaigned on jobs, the economy and education and has adopted fictional character Forest Gump's motto of "Run Forest Run." He has no experience in elected office.
Forest will face Democrat Linda Coleman of Knightdale in the November general election. They will be battling to replace Democratic Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, who is his party's candidate for governor.
Other Statewide Races
- Wake County School Board member John Tedesco will face June Atkinson in the November general election for the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Tedesco defeated Richard Alexander 54 to 46 percent.
- State Republicans also decided their party's nominee for Insurance Commissioner. Mike Causey will face democrat Wayne Godwin in November. Causey defeated former House Speaker Richard Morgan by a margin of 57 to 43 percent.
- Ed Goodwin has defeated Kenn Gardner for the GOP nod for Secretary of State. Goodwin will face incumbent Elaine Marshall in the general election. Marshall ran unopposed in May and has served as Secretary of State for 16 years.
- Democrats had one statewide Democratic runoff. It was a heated primary battle between John Brooks and Marlowe Foster for Labor Commissioner. Brooks defeated Foster 54 to 46 percent to win the Democratic nomination for his old job. He served from 1977 to 1993. Brooks will face incumbent Cherie Berry in the Nov. 6 general election.
Click here for the latest election results.
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