For the second time in two years, Mark Donka has won the Republican nomination to try to unseat Vermont U.S. Rep. Peter Welch.
The Associated Press has declared Donka the winner of a tight race against Don Russell and Donald Nolte.
Welch, who is seeking his fifth term in Congress, faced no primary opposition.
Donka has called for reducing federal spending and has said he's skeptical about human-caused climate change.
With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Donka had 4,341 - or 36 percent of the vote - to 4,020 votes for Russell - or 33 percent - and 3,802 votes for Nolte, or 31 percent.
Donka is expected to face another uphill fight this fall. In 2012, Welch beat him by a more than 3-to-1 margin.
Copyright The Associated Press
