OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS…. Third incumbent supervisor eliminated
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.
Clark, Smith and Fairley defeated in supervisors’ races. Sheriff, other key county positions, headed to runoff on August 29
Affidavit ballots decide deadlocked Dist 2 race
From Staff Reports
Last week’s Primary Election results were not set to be official until certified by election officials on Wednesday, but one thing was a forgone conclusion – there will be at least three new faces seated around the Greene County Board of Supervisors office in January.
It was clear by 10 p.m. on election night that incumbent supervisors Danny Smith (Dist. 3) and Gary Fairley (Dist. 5) had lost their re-election bids. By the time affidavit ballots had been counted the following day, a third incumbent, Dist. 2 Supervisor Elton Clark had been unseated as well.
Clark left the courthouse in Leakesville on Tuesday night locked in a dead-heat with Republican challenger Kendall Deese, but after election officials reviewed affidavit ballots, Deese had reportedly taken a 6-vote lead. A handful of mailed absentee ballots are potentially left to be counted, but not enough to change the outcome. Deese is set to face lone Democratic Party candidate Fredrick Lenard ‘Pete’ Johnson in November.
Smith was defeated by challenger Efird Eubanks by a 512-to-351 margin, claiming 57.6 percent of the votes to avoid a runoff and win the election outright as there are no Democrat or independent candidates to face in November’s General Election.
Fairley finished third, according to the unofficial results, behind David M. Tingle and Adam Dixon. Tingle claimed the top spot in the primary with 237 votes, with Dixon outpacing Fairley by a 193-to-177 margin to set up a runoff matchup with Tingle on Aug. 29. The winner between Tingle and Dixon will face Democrat Howard T. Garrett Sr. in November.
Another incumbent still has to clear a runoff vote and a Democratic challenger in November to hold on to his seat. Dist. 4 Supervisor Wayne Barrow will face Stuart McLeod on Aug. 29 after the two were finished atop the 4-man race in the Republican Primary. Barrow finished 126 votes ahead of McLeod, but didn’t earn the majority needed to avoid a runoff. The winner of the runoff will move on to face Democrat Roy Mack Holloman Jr. in the General Election.
Dist. 1 Supervisor Dillon McInnis was the only current member of the board to secure re-election last Tuesday. McInnis, who does not have a November opponent, defeated former supervisor James J. Radcliff for that seat.
Eubanks, Walley set for runoff in Sheriff’s race
Former FBI agent and current chief school resource officer for the county school district, Stacy Eubanks, and county constable Ryan E. Walley advanced to the Aug. 29 runoff in the race for county sheriff. Eubanks edged Walley by a 1,214-to-1,192 after affidavit ballots were counted last Wednesday. The other two candidates on the ticket, Larry Byrd and Stanley McLeod Jr., combined to tally 1,153 votes in the first primary, setting up an intriguing runoff scenario between Eubanks and Walley in two weeks. The winner will move on to face independent candidate Michael Crawford in the General Election.
Justice Court Judge seats still up in the air
In the race to replace retiring Justice Court Judge Jeff Byrd in Post 1, Vince West and Kerney Kittrell are headed to a runoff after finishing first and second, respectively, in that 4-man race. West led the ticket with 819 votes, while Kittrell finished with 660. Ronnie Watson and Walter Sellers tallied a combined 481 votes.
In Post 2, current Justice Court Judge Shannon Busby won the Republican Primary over Leakesville attorney Ryan Longmire by a 842-to-733 margin. Busby will have to get past challenger Rosilyn Renee’ Johnson, who was unopposed in the Democratic Primary, to maintain the position.
West – Breland set for Constable runoff
A runoff is also set in the race to fill the Post 2 Constable position, with Hayden West and Beverly Molten Breland to be on the ballot for Aug. 29. West led the Republican Primary ticket by a 603-to-454 margin over Breland, with the three other candidates on the ballot splitting the other 892 votes cast last Tuesday. The winner of the runoff will assume the position in January as there are no Democrat or independent candidates.
Other county races to be decided in November
Incumbent Chancery Clerk Michelle ‘Shelley’ Dobbins Eubanks is set to face former county purchasing clerk Lavon ‘Bolton’ Pringle in November. Eubanks defeated Republican Primary challenger Sarah James by a comfortable margin to advance to the November race.
Another incumbent, county attorney / prosecutor Lee Turner, was unseated last Tuesday. Turner lost his re-election bid to fellow Leakesville attorney Chris Dobbins in the Republican Party Primary. Dobbins will not have an opponent on the November ballot. Neither will incumbent Circuit Clerk Cecelia Bounds, Tax Assessor/Collector Mark Holder, Coroner Ladd Pulliam, Post 2 Constable Pam Anderson, and election commissioners Lisa Bivens (Dist. 2) or Elizabeth ‘Beth’ Ross (Dist. 4).
Burch leads as Dist. 105 Representative race moves to runoff
Greene County attorney Elliot Burch led the 3-man ticket for the Dist. 105 seat in the Mississippi House of Representatives. Burch led the Republican Primary, but not by a big enough margin to unseat incumbent Dale Goodin, of New Augusta without a runoff. Burch easily claimed Greene and George County precincts, while Goodin was the high vote-getter in Perry County. Brewertown resident and businessman Matt Brewer finishing in third place with just over 1,500 votes district wide.
The winner of the Burch-Goodin runoff will move on to face Democrat Matthew Daves in November. Dist. 105 encompasses the majority of Greene and Perry counties, along with the Rocky Creek and Shipman precincts in George County.
Key state races from last week’s vote
In key state races, incumbent Gov. Tate Reeves won the Republican Primary to set up a November duel with Democrat Brandon Presley Presley, a former mayor of his hometown of Nettleton and current Northern District Public Service Commissioner. Independent Gray Gwendolyn is also on the ballot for governor in November
In the hottest and most contentious race on the Republican ballot incumbent Lt. Gov. Delbert Hoseman defeated State Sen. Chris McDaniel, of Ellisville, in a 3-person race on Tuesday. McDaniel won Greene County, but Hosemann made up for it elsewhere to claim the Republican nomination. Hosemann will now turn his attention to a November General Election matchup against D. Ryan Grover of Hattiesburg, who was unopposed in the Democratic Primary.
Robin Robinson won the Dist. 42 seat in the State Senate, which includes the Jones, Piave and Wade precincts. Robinson claimed 56 percent of the vote over Don Hartness in the Republican Primary. No Democrats qualified to seek the post.
Nelson Wayne Carr defeated incumbent Dane Maxwell to claim the Southern District seat on the state’s Public Service Commissioner.
