DALTON, Ga. — Chuck Payne was elected to a second term in the state Senate in convincing fashion Tuesday.

Payne, a Republican from Dalton, defeated Democrat Michael Morgan by 29,243 votes (80.75 percent) to 6,971 votes (19.25 percent) in the race for District 54, which covers all of Whitfield and Murray counties and parts of Gordon and Pickens counties.

“I’m humbled,” Payne said. “Since I was first elected almost two years ago, I’ve worked hard to gain the trust and respect of the voters of the 54th District. I think these totals show that I have done that. And I thank the voters for that trust.”

Morgan, a lab manager in his first run at elected office, congratulated Payne on his victory.

“I think we both ran good campaigns focused on the issues,” Morgan said. “I’ve gotten to know him over the last several weeks and found that we actually agreed on a number of issues.”

Payne served in the U.S. Army for four years in the 82nd Airborne Division. After leaving the Army, Payne and his wife Angie returned to Whitfield County where he began a career with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, first at the Dalton Regional Youth Detention Center as a probation/parole specialist and then as a juvenile probation officer in first Catoosa County and then Murray County.

Payne attended his first meeting of the Whitfield County Republican Party in 1991. During the following 25 years, he held party offices at the state, congressional district and local levels, including multiple terms as chairman of the Whitfield County Republican Party.

Morgan thanked his supporters.

“It has been really humbling for me. A lot of people have come up to me on the campaign trail saying how glad they were to have a Democrat running in this district,” he said.

Payne said he will get back to work almost immediately.

Gov. Nathan Deal has called a special session of the Legislature next week to provide relief to southwest Georgia, which was hit hard by Hurricane Michael three weeks ago.