Jim Bob Duggar has lost the primary for an Arkansas state Senate seat after announcing his campaign in October.
The poll results from Tuesday’s election show that Colby Fulfer, who is chief of staff for the city of Springdale, won over 46% of the vote. Steve Unger won more than 36% of the vote. The two will face off in a Jan. 11 primary runoff. Duggar drew roughly 15% of the vote.
Fulfer was elected to the Springdale City Council in 2016 and served until 2020, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported. Unger served 31 years in the Navy. Both announced their bids in November.
They and Duggar were among four Republicans seeking their party’s nomination for the seat, which opened up following the resignation of Republican Sen. Lance Eads.
JOSH DUGGAR TRIAL VERDICT FINDS HIM GUILTY ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES
The election came days after Duggar’s eldest son, Josh, was convicted in federal court of receiving and possessing child pornography.
Jim Bob Duggar was among four Republicans seeking their party’s nomination for a state Senate seat Tuesday, Dec.14, 2021 in a special primary election.
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
On Dec. 9, the jury in Fayetteville found the 33-year-old Duggar guilty on one count each of receiving and possessing child pornography. He faces up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 for each count when he’s sentenced.
Duggar’s attorneys released a statement to Fox News shortly after the verdict, saying they intend to appeal.
Josh Duggar was found guilty on one count each of receiving and possessing child pornography.
(Washington County Sheriff’s Office)
“We appreciate the jury’s lengthy deliberations, we respect the jury’s verdict, and we intend to appeal,” defense attorneys Justin Gelfand, Ian Murphy, and Travis Story said.
JANA DUGGAR CHARGED WITH ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A MINOR IN ARKANSAS
Meanwhile, US Attorneys in the case held a press conference outside the courthouse after the verdict was announced.
Jim Bob Duggar and his wife Michelle Duggar share 19 kids.
(Photo by Peter Kramer/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
“This case represents a significant milestone for the Western District of Arkansas and our continued efforts to combat child abuse. Those who would say that children who were photographed and videoed in a manner similar to the evidence in this case are not abused and are not victims are clearly wrong. Children who are photographed and videoed in manners such as this are the victims and every time their videos and photos are traded online, uploaded, and downloaded from the internet, they are victimized again,” one of the U.S. attorneys said.
JOSH DUGGAR GUILTY VERDICT: JIM BOB, MICHELLE DUGGAR AND FAMILY REACT TO CONVICTION
Jim Bob previously served one term in the Arkansas House from 1999 to 2002. His large family was featured on TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting” reality TV show from 2008 to 2015.
Edge Nowlin, a retired IBM engineer, was also seeking the GOP nomination. The winner of the primary will face Lisa Parks, an attorney who won the Democratic nomination Tuesday, in a Feb. 8 special election.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
