Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler easily won the Republican primary Tuesday, according to unofficial election night returns, and with no Democratic opposition going forward, a second term in office.

In a hotly contested race, Fowler received a commanding 63.8 percent of the vote, beating challenger Glenn Fuller 5,677 to 3,212, according to unofficial election returns.

“I’m elated and it sends a message to me that the people of Cherokee County are very proud of the Coroner’s Office, very proud of what we’ve done, and did not fall victim to a lot of the propaganda put out by my opponent,” Fowler said late Tuesday.

Fowler added, “I am always positive in the things we do in the Coroner’s Office and we were positive in the campaign.”

He said of the vote spread, “I would say it’s an absolute vote of support and confidence that the voters of Cherokee County have placed in me.”

During the campaign, Fowler pointed to all of the changes he had made in the office, from upgrades in equipment and technology to increased response times and educational programs aimed at teaching area children about the deadly consequences of things like drugs and drinking and driving.

Just three years into his first term, Fowler was named Coroner of the Year by the state Coroner’s Association.