Former U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg of Tipton has won the Republican primary in the south-central Michigan 7th District, setting up a rematch with the man who ousted him from Congress two years ago.
With 76 percent of precincts reporting, Walberg had 58.9 percent of the vote to 30.9 percent for lawyer and Iraq war veteran Brian Rooney of Dexter.
The primary win Tuesday means Walberg will face off in November against Democrat Mark Schauer.
In 2008, Schauer of Battle Creek beat the first-term Walberg by about 7,500 votes.
Republicans have been eyeing Schauer ever since he won in the GOP-leaning district. It covers an area stretching from Eaton County just west of Lansing south through Battle Creek, Jackson, Hillsdale, Adrian and part of western Washtenaw County.
Schauer issued a statement tonight, saying he's looking forward to a "spirited campaign of ideas about what direction we should take to get our economy back on track."
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