Voters send three to May runoffs

Voters send three to May runoffs Brian Smith Wed, 03/13/2024 - 8:30 am T-Bob Hauger and RC Langford will have a runoff for Jack County Sheriff, while incumbent Constable Clyde Watson and Precinct 1 Commissioner Gary Oliver will keep their positions after the primary election Tuesday, March 5. County voters came out to cast their ballots with 1,082 registered voters, or 19.2%, voting early, and 2,196 registered voters, or 38.88%, voting overall, according to the Jack County Election Administrator’s office. In the sheriff race, Hauger received 842 votes, or 40.91%, with Langford getting 654 votes, or 31.78%. Banning Sweatland finished last with 562 votes, or 27.31%. In the constable race Watson, who has been in the office for seven years, picked up 1,131 votes or 56.1% of the vote. Alvin Bilby had 465 votes, or 23.07%. Jack County Sheriff’s Deputy David VanderKaay received 420 votes, or 20.83%. Oliver won back his position with 331 votes, or 70.28%, with challenger Tim Ogle receiving 140 votes, or 29.72%. In statewide races, House District 68 incumbent David Spiller won his home county with 1,727 votes, or 82.43% of the vote with challenger Kerri Kingsbery receiving 368 votes, or 17.57%. District-wide, Spiller received 23,043 votes, or 66.95%, with Kingsbery receiving 11,377 votes, or 33.05%. Spiller will face Democrat Stacey Swann in November. Swann ran unopposed in the primary, receiving 56 votes in Jack County and 1,633 total votes throughout the district. The four-way race for the District 30 State Senator seat ended with Brent Hagenbuch receiving only eight more votes than Jace Yarbrough in Jack County. Hagenbuch received 641 votes, or 34.5%, with Yarbrough receiving 633 votes, or 34.07%. Carrie De Moor received 360 votes, or 19.38%, with Cody Clark receiving 224 votes, or 12.06%. Throughout District 30, Hagenbuch received 20,992 votes, or 36.38%, with Yarb rough re c e i v ing 17,511 votes, or 33.94%. Hagenbuch and Yarbrough will head to a runoff election, set for Tuesday, May 28. Two candidates from the Democratic District 30 race will also be heading to a runoff. Michael Braxton, who received 7,792 votes, or 37.69%, and Dale Frey, who received 6,823 votes, or 33%, will be back on the ballot in May. The third contender was Matthew Mc Ghee, who received 6,058 votes, or 29.3%. District25U.S.Representative incumbent Roger Williams handily won the county, with 1,557 votes, or 81.78%. Matthew Lucci received 220 votes, or 11.55%, with Vince Crabb receiving 127 votes, or 6.67%. Williams will not face a Democratic opponent in November.