![State Del. Bill DeSteph greets a supporter outside the Great Neck precinct on Tuesday, June 9, 2015. DeSteph won the GOP primary for the 8th Virginia Senate District. [John-Henry Doucette/The Princess Anne Independent News]](https://princessanneindy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DeSteph01.jpg)
COURTHOUSE – Bill R. DeSteph Jr., a state delegate and former member of the City Council, today defeated airline pilot Craig M. Hudgins to be the Republican candidate seeking to replace state Sen. Jeff McWaters in the 8th Virginia Senate District.
With all precincts reporting, DeSteph led with 2,280 votes to Hudgins’ 927 in a Republican primary, according to unofficial results updated shortly after 8:30 p.m. DeSteph won about seven of every 10 votes.
The 8th Senate District covers much of the eastern part of the city, including Courthouse and parts of Pungo and Back Bay.
DeSteph will face Dave Belote, a Democrat, in the general election this fall.
In the 14th Virginia Senate District, incumbent state Sen. John A. Cosgrove Jr., who won a special election two years ago for the seat previously occupied by Harry Blevins, defeated challenger William “Bill” Haley in a Republican primary.
Both men are from Chesapeake, but the 14th covers southern parts of the Beach, including precincts in Creeds and Blackwater, in addition to parts of six other Hampton Roads municipalities.
With all precincts reporting at about 8:20 p.m., Cosgrove had 64.6 percent of the vote to Haley’s 35.4 percent of the vote, unofficial returns show.
