JACKSONVILLE — Jay Dill is dropping out of the race for the Alabama House District 40 seat, apparently ceding the Republican nomination to K.L. Brown.

Dill made the announcement this morning in a press conference at the Jacksonville Community Center. Dill also said he would place all of his support behind Brown.

“I know it was a tough decision, but an unselfish one,” Brown said. “I strongly believe he can help us win this general election.”

Brown and Dill were the top finishers in a primary election Jan. 5, with Brown garnering 46.5 percent of the 2,311 votes cast while Dill got 19.6 percent of the votes.

Dill said that margin, and the prospect of saving the state and county governments as much as $48,000 for the cost overseeing a runoff election, led to his decision to quit the race.

He said the special general election for the seat now would be held Feb. 16, instead of the Republican primary runoff.

“My campaign platform called for a reduction in state spending and waste,” Dill said. “By moving the general election to Feb. 16, we eliminate the need for a runoff election that would cost our state and county thousands of dollars – dollars that we can now put toward other initiatives like job creation and programs to enhance education.”

Brown will face Democrat Ricky Whaley, the only member of his party to qualify, and independent candidate Carol Hagan.

“I welcome Mr. Brown to the general election,” Whaley said during a phone interview. “I look forward to running a clean campaign and I welcome Brown to do the same.”

Hagan said she was glad there would no longer be a runoff.

“The 40th District hasn’t had anybody to go to the latest Legislative session,” she said.

The Legislature convened in Montgomery on Tuesday, and likely will wrap up its session in April.

Alabama Republican Party Chairman Mike Hubbard, who attended the press conference, said Republicans should support Brown since he is the only conservative left in the race.

“We have the opportunity to send a small businessman, who has done a budget and helped create jobs,” Hubbard said.

The candidates are running to fill a vacancy in the House after when Rep. Lea Fite died in October. The winner will serve out the remainder of Fite’s term, and face another round of elections this summer and fall.

Check AnnistonStar.com for more details as they become available, and get the full story in Thursday’s Anniston Star.