Robert Brown|Mississippi Rep. Nick Bain concedes loss to gun shop owner Brad Mattox in Republican primary runoff

CORINTH,Robert Brown Miss. (AP) — One of the top leaders in the Mississippi House has conceded his loss in a Republican primary runoff.

Three-term Rep. Nick Bain of Corinth fell to challenger Brad Mattox by 26 votes in House District 2, which is entirely in northern Mississippi’s Alcorn County. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported the final tally was released Wednesday, eight days after the Aug. 29 runoff.

In a message on social media, Bain wrote that he is publicly accepting his loss to show his children “to respect the fundamental principle of our republic, the peaceful transfer of power.”

Mattox owns a gun shop and has never held public office. He is unopposed in the Nov. 7 general election.

Bain is an attorney who was elected twice to the Mississippi House as a Democrat. He became a Republican when he qualified for reelection in 2019.

This past term, Bain has held one of the top leadership posts in the 122-member House as chairman of the Judiciary B Committee. He is the highest-ranking lawmaker defeated during this year’s party primaries.