ATHENS — Election officials in Athens-Clarke County say Charles Darwin received nearly 4,000 write-in votes after a Georgia congressman denounced evolution and other scientific theories as "lies straight from the pits of hell."

Athens-Clarke County elections supervisor Gail Schrader released the figures Thursday. The write-in votes for Darwin, the 19th century naturalist considered the father of evolution, were merely symbolic as Republican Rep. Paul Broun cruised to re-election unopposed Tuesday.

The Athens Banner-Herald reports write-in totals were not immediately available in the 24 remaining counties included in Broun's 10th District. The congressman received a total of 209,917 votes in the election.

Critics urged the congressman's constituents to write-in Darwin after Broun was videotaped lambasting evolution in a speech to a church group.