By Zach Hester, Reporter • zach@southerntorch.com
DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. — As we close the primary season after six grueling weeks leading up to the runoff elections, residents and candidates of DeKalb County and the entire state of Alabama can rest easy now that their first battle is over.
In the race for DeKalb County Board of Education - District 3, Carol Hiett defeated incumbent Jeff Williams, 662 votes to 403 votes. Hiett will not have a Democratic opponent in the November election.
In a statement after victory, Hiett said:
“THANK YOU to the people of School Board District 3! I am very excited to get to serve you as your next school board member. You have supported me throughout my campaign with your votes, encouraging words and prayers. Together, we can make a difference in the education of our children.”
In the race for DeKalb County Board of Education - District 4, Monty Darwin defeated incumbent Matt Sharp, 702 votes to 354 votes. Darwin is unopposed in the November general election.
The close race for Lieutenant Governor turned into a knockdown, dragout over the last few weeks, but Guntersville native Will Ainsworth successfully trumped Public Service Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh. Ainsworth, a member of the Alabama House of Representatives, received 176,680 votes (51%) to Cavanaugh’s 166,475 (49%).
In DeKalb County, Ainsworth received 2,965 votes to Cavanaugh’s 1,725.
In her concession speech, Cavanaugh echoed support for Ainsworth saying, “He ran a strong race. I hope [he] will go on to be our next lieutenant governor here in the state of Alabama.”
Ainsworth thanked the entire state of Alabama for their support in his election. He said, “I want to thank Twinkle for being willing to be involved in public service… I look forward to working with her to improve our state.”
“It’s an exciting time to live in Alabama,” he concluded. “I’m going to be a lieutenant governor that y’all can be proud of.” Ainsworth will face Florence minister Will Boyd, who ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate last year, in the general election.
Incumbent Attorney General Steve Marshall bested the former holder of his office, Troy King, in the runoff, 62-38. Marshall received 211,620 (3,343 from DeKalb) votes statewide against King’s 129,427 (1,333 from DeKalb) votes. Marshall faces Joseph Siegelman, a Birmingham attorney and son of ex-governor (and attorney general) Don Siegelman, in the November election.
The final statewide race for Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries was fought between Lowndesboro Mayor Rick Pate and longtime Alabama State Senator Gerald Dial. Pate defeated Dial after a hard fought race with 176,519 votes to Dial’s 134,799 votes. In DeKalb County, Pate took 2,255 votes to Dial’s 2,045 votes.
In the coming months, the contested races all across the state will begin to heat up. Southern Torch looks forward to another great election season as we hope to see the best candidates elected to represent us from the courthouse all the way to the State House.
