Following a recount of the 65 towns in the Second Congressional District, Justin Anderson defeated endorsed candidate Thomas Gilmer by 81 votes in the Republican primary.
Gilmer was charged with strangulation and unlawful restraint the day before the primary. He has yet to enter a plea.
The race divided the Republican Party, some of whom have called for its chairman, JR Romano, to step down.
Anderson said Sunday that the alleged victim reached out to him and wanted him to get Gilmer out of the race. Anderson said that he eventually ended up with video evidence of an assault and turned it over to police.
Anderson said he was hesitant to go to the police because the victim didn’t want him to. He said the woman wanted him to get the Republican Party to pressure Gilmer to get out of the race. Anderson said he showed the video to a few party leaders, but not Romano.
That didn’t stop party leaders from calling for Romano to step down.
“I don’t plan on resigning,” Romano said Sunday evening.