Wednesday, December 20, 2017 3:51 am

In an outcome closer than might have been expected, Republican Mark Pody defeated Democrat Mary Alice Carfi in a special election Tuesday for the Tennessee Senate District 17 seat.

Unofficial vote totals from the six counties which make up District 17 have Pody with 5,990 and Carfi getting 5,682 -- a difference of 309.

Pody won Cannon County by a little over 100 votes, 467 to 353.

Carfi won three of the six counties in District 17 Clay, DeKalb and Smith. Pody also won Macon and Wilson.

The seat was vacated in September by Mae Beavers, who is running for governor in next year's election. Pody will serve out the remainder of Beavers' term, which ends next year.

Because of his victory, Pody will have to vacate his seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives. He has represented District 46, which includes Cannon County, for the past seven years.

The Wilson County Commission will name someone to fill the remainder of Pody's term in the House, which also comes to an end next year.