Two Republicans in Georgia's 12th Congressional District will meet in a runoff Aug. 10 to determine who will face incumbent Congressman John Barrow in November.
      With 84 percent of the district's precincts reporting, Ray McKinney, a nuclear services manager, secured the top spot in a Republican primary run-off by getting 42.9 percent of the vote (11,404 votes) and will face first-time congressional candidate Carl Smith, the former fire chief of Thunderbolt, who received 27.8 percent (7,372 votes).
      The other candidates seeking the nomination were Jeanne Seaver, a businesswoman from Savannah, who received 18.3 percent (4,870 votes) and Mike Horner, a retired Air Force Lt. Colonel and businessman, who received 11 percent (2,912 votes).
      Smith said he was reluctant to say anything about a runoff until 100 percent of the precincts reported, but said he was prepared to devote all his energy and excitement to a runoff.
      "We're just going to try to keep doing what we have been doing - get out there and meet the people of the district," Smith said. "We'll fight and claw the next three weeks."
      In Bulloch County, McKinney received 1,548 Republican primary votes, or 42.3 percent while Smith received 1,004 votes, or 27.4 percent. Seaver received 786 votes (21.5 percent) and Horner received 326 votes (8.9 percent). On the Democrat side, Barrow got 945 votes (58.7 percent, while Thomas received 665 votes (41.4 percent).
     McKinney could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.