TOCCOA, Ga. — Two Georgia State Senate candidates face three more weeks of campaigning before they can rest.

Nancy Schaefer and Jim Butterworth, both Republican candidates for the Georgia State Senate 50th District, will go on to a runoff election Aug. 5. While Butterworth bested Schaefer overall, he did not get more than 50 percent of the vote.

“I look forward to working over the next three weeks to meet many more people, get our message out, and move forward in this election,” he said. “Lord willing, we will come through with a win and we look to hit the ground running.”

Schaefer is equally determined to win the seat, and said she will mount a vigorous campaign.

“Of course, we wish that we had won without a runoff, but we were pleased with the kind of race we ran,” she said.

“We fought not to overdo it and wear everybody out completely, but we are now in a run-off and we will mount another campaign here for those three weeks and run a really good race. We are looking forward to it.”

During a June forum, Butterworth accused Schaefer of asking him to leave the race. Schaefer strongly denied making such a remark, saying she would never do that. Schaefer won the primary in Stephens County, while Butterworth received most of his votes from Habersham County.