With about 56 percent of the vote, Rob Woodall topped Jody Hice to secure the Republican nomination for the District 7 U.S. House seat.

“We’re delighted,” Woodall said while celebrating Tuesday night with friends and family in Lawrenceville. “My team of folks has been working so hard.

I could not be prouder of them and what they’ve done.”

Woodall advances to face Democrat Doug Heckman in November.

The 7th District includes parts of south Forsyth and Gwinnett, Barrow, Newton and Walton counties.

Incumbent John Linder, who was sworn in nearly two decades ago, is not running for re-election.

Woodall, who has served as Linder's chief of staff for more than a decade, received nearly 67 percent of Forsyth’s vote.

Statewide, Woodall garnered nearly 40,000 votes, while about 31,400 votes were cast for Hice.

Hice said he was proud of his campaign and has no regrets, adding it’s been a “clean race on both sides.”

“We’ve stuck to the issues and it’s been an honorable race in every way,” Hice said. “My best wishes to Rob as he goes forward to represent us in Washington.”

This is not Heckman’s first time running for the district. A decorated Army colonel, he challenged Linder in 2008. While he lost, Heckman collected about 38 percent of the vote.

“He’s got a great resume and if folks were to take him lightly, they can do so at their own peril,” Woodall said of the Democrat. “I look forward to he and I getting around the district and giving folks a real choice between two different philosophies.”

Woodall plans to “take about 48 hours off" before he will get "right back out there and start working again.”