Jeffrey Frederick's aggressive challenge to state Del. John A. "Jack" Rollison paid off in Tuesday's Republican primary as he unseated the incumbent Republican from the 52nd District seat he held for nearly two decades.

Rollison was the only local incumbent, and the only sitting House member, to lose his seat. It showed that Prince William County voters apparently did not forget -- or forgive -- his sponsorship of the failed sales tax referendum for transportation.

"Certainly it was the dominant issue," Frederick said. "But there were other issues, protecting the Constitution, protecting life and our families, and being representative of the people, and carrying their values to Richmond, not the values of special interests."

In an extremely close race, state Sen. H. Russell Potts Jr. defeated challenger Mark Tate by less than 1 percentage point in the 27th District Republican primary. Del. Jeannemarie Devolites, R-Vienna, crushed GOP opponent Louis J. Zone Jr., taking nearly 75 percent of the vote for the nomination for the 34th Senate District.

Adam Ebbin beat four other candidates in the Democratic primary for the 49th House District seat being vacated by Del. Karen Darner, D-Arlington. And Republican David M. Hunt defeated Howie R. Lind for the right to challenge Democratic 32nd District Sen. Janet Howell in the Nov. 4 general election.

All Tuesday night election results are unofficial.

Frederick and Rollison battled for months over who best represented Republican values, particularly when it came to taxes. Frederick lambasted the eight-term incumbent for promoting the failed sales tax referendum for transportation, while the incumbent said his authorship of the budget amendment that began the car-tax rollback is proof he was not a pro-tax politician.

The Woodbridge Republican was unable to persuade his constituents: Frederick received 1,541 votes to Rollison's 1,114.

"Delegate Rollison worked extremely hard to represent the people of the 52nd District," said his campaign manager, Chris Peace. "His 18 years of service have been truly public service and we would wish Jeff Frederick well, and congratulate him on a well-run grass-roots effort."

Rollison was chairman of the House Transportation Committee, and Northern Virginia is unlikely to keep the influential position when he is gone.

"He paid the price for carrying the referendum bill," said Del. Thomas Bolvin, R-Alexandria.

"I think it's a blow to our region, I really do," he added.

The Rollison-Frederick race was one of several bellwether campaigns pitting moderate Republicans against more conservative opponents. The moderates did better outside of Prince William County.

With all precincts reporting, Hunt had 4,031 votes to Lind's 2,205 in the 32nd District. Hunt had called his opponent "unelectable" for Lind's proposal to use only local money for schools.

"It may have had something do with [my win]," Hunt said of his more mainstream standing in the party, "but this has really been about making sure the people were comfortable with me as a nominee. Ideology became a little too prominent when it didn't need to be. It doesn't matter as long as you're a problem-solver and focus on the major issues."

Three-term senator Potts eked out a 106-vote win over Tate in the 27th District, taking 7,495 votes to his challenger's 7,389. He faces Democratic Loudoun County Supervisor Mark Herring in the Nov. 4 general election.

Devolites' victory carried a much larger margin. She took 5,240 votes to Zone's 1.857, and faces Democrat Ron Christian in her bid to move to the Senate.

"I've had an opportunity to put my signs up and get my mail out, so I think I'd start with a huge advantage over my opponent in name recognition," Devolites said.

The five-way 49th District race ended with Adam P. Ebbin winning with 771 votes, followed closely by Teresa Martinez, who received 728 votes, and Andres Tobar with 695. Michael J. Graham received 273 votes and Nathan Monell had 133.

Although Tuesday's election was a primary, Ebbin is assured the 49th District seat in November because there are no other candidates in the running.

From staff reports