A state representative from Salem was selected Saturday as the GOP nominee for the 8th Congressional District.
Jason Smith was picked by members of the district committee during a nomination meeting at Van Buren. There were six rounds of voting.
Ten nominated candidates spoke for three minutes each before the vote.
Smith will face challengers in a special election in June to replace former Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson, who left to head a rural electric trade association.
The vote in round one was: Wendell Bailey 4, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder 10; Jason Crowell 10; Scott Lipke 5; Lloyd Smith 14; Rep. Jason Smith 28; Clint Tracy 2, Bob Parker 13; and Todd Richardson 11.
The sixth round saw: Kinder 22; Crowell 21 and Jason Smith 55.