SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The South Bend Common Council has sworn in a new member of the committee following Dave Varner’s resignation in May.

Jake Teshka won a special election for the Republican Precinct committee on Tuesday evening.

Teshka defeated Davin Hackett, who is currently deployed in Afghanistan. He will represent the fifth district which is in the city’s southeast side.

“I'm excited to get to work on behalf of residents of the fifth district of South Bend and I'm excited to be a good steward of the tax payer dollar, to make sure that South Bend's fascial house is in order and to make sure that this is a place that my family can feel safe.” Teshka said.

Dave Varner stepped down after serving 22 years as the only Republican on the Common Council.