Kip Smith of Columbus got 65 percent of the vote to defeat Steve Earles of Pine Mountain in Tuesday’s runoff for the District 129 seat in the Georgia House of Representatives.

Smith, 27, will serve the remaining year in the two-year term of his father, Vance Smith Jr. of Pine Mountain, who resigned to become commissioner of the state Department of Transportation.

The elder Smith called to congratulate his son Tuesday night.

“He said he’s proud of the hard work we put into this campaign and he looks forward to serving with me in Atlanta,” Kip Smith said.

Smith said he’s “honored that people not only had one, but two opportunities to speak to who they wanted to be their voice in Atlanta. I’m honored the people chose me again.”

Smith had received 49.4 of the vote in the Nov. 3 special election, short of the amount he needed to avoid a runoff, followed by Earles with 22 percent, Jerry Luquire of Columbus with 13.4 percent and Earl. T. Davis of Hamilton with 15.1 percent.

The district encompasses southern Troup County, including West Point, most of Harris County and the northwest corner of Muscogee County.

Troup had 9,751 eligible voters and 525 participated in the runoff, or 5.38 percent.

Earles, 56, who had carried Troup County in the first election, but lost in the runoff 278-247, wouldn’t rule out another run for the office in 2010.

He expressed thanks to his wife, Cindy, and all his supporters.

“Tonight the campaign ended and I congratulated the Smith family on their victory,” he said. “He will follow in his daddy’s footsteps to Atlanta. I wish him well.”

Earles said he figured it would be an uphill battle “considering the fact that I’m running against the son of Vance Smith.”

“I lost this election, but not my interest in public service,” he said.

Joel Martin can be reached at jmartin@ lagrangenews. com or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 235.