Targeted Rep. Walter Jones beats GOP rival Griffin

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — Maverick North Carolina congressman Walter Jones is retaining the backing of Republicans in the district he’s represented for 20 years.

Unofficial results Tuesday show Jones survived the Republican Party primary against rival Taylor Griffin, who benefited from more than $1 million in advertising help from out-of-state political groups. Albin Novinec of Jacksonville came in third in the GOP primary.

The 38-year-old Griffin grew up in Wilson and moved back to North Carolina after spending years working in President George W. Bush’s administration and at consulting firms. Griffin was endorsed by Sarah Palin.

Jones has faced other GOP primary challengers in recent years who have criticized him of bucking fellow Republicans by voting against GOP budgets, or for deciding to oppose the Iraq war as service members continued to die there.

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