State House Speaker Thom Tillis beat out seven Republican challengers for the chance to take on U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan in the November general election.

Tillis avoided a run-off, receiving 46.13 percent of the vote. His closest competitor was OBGYN Dr. Greg Brannon of Cary, who tallied 32.66 percent, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Reverend Mark Harris, a Baptist minister from Charlotte, came in a distant third.

Hagan easily defeated two primary opponents to win the Democratic nomination to take on a possible second term.