EXCLUSIVE VIDEO INTERVIEW: Chelsie Hightower On Jake Pavelka's Dancing With The Stars Elimination

Jake Pavelka was eliminated from Dancing With The Stars Tuesday, as the Dallas pilot-turned-reality TV star's mediocre samba did not sway viewers to keep him in ABC's hit ballroom competition.

RadarOnline.com caught up with Pavelka's dance partner, Chelsie Hightower, who said she felt vindicated by the effort the couple put forth, even in defeat.

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"We just didn't have enough fan votes, and that's OK, because we did everything we could as dancers," Hightower told RadarOnline.com exclusively. "As Jake and I, as a dance partnership, we did everything we could. So you just got to go home with peace, knowing that you did your best.”

We asked Hightower if Jake’s fiancée, The Bachelor’s Vienna Girardi, was a constant presence during their training.

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"Not much," Hightower said. "She was there to support him, but she didn't interfere or get in the way -- it was good for him to have her as his cheerleader."

Pavelka, who was competing with TV host Niecy Nash for a spot next week, made a teary exit speech directed at his dance partner upon his elimination.

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"Thank you Chelsie, you are one of my best friends," he said. "I have loved every second of this. I love you, thank you for being so great to my beautiful fiancée Vienna, and thank you everybody for watching and keeping me in."

Dancing With The Stars airs on ABC Mondays and Tuesdays at 8/7c.

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