Inside Today
THOMASVILLE Ledford falls to Northern Guilford in state tennis playoffs. See SPORTS, Page B1
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Thomasville City Schools faces hard decisions if Gov. Perdue’s budget were to pass. See Story, Page A7
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LOUD AND CLEAR
Runoff called in U.S. Senate race BY ERIN WILTGEN Staff Writer
TIMES PHOTO/ELIOT DUKE
Sheriff David Grice celebrates as final Primary Election results come in Tuesday night at the Davidson County Governmental Center in Lexington. Grice took home 60 percent of the Republican votes.
Voters’ voices heard in sheriff ’s race BY ELIOT DUKE Staff Writer
LEXINGTON — A sheriff ’s race expected to be one of the closest in Davidson County history turned out to be anything but. Incumbent Sheriff David Grice took his two opponents behind the woodshed Tuesday night, claiming more than 60 percent of the vote in a Republican primary for the ages. While a computer glitch kept the crowd of Grice supporters at the Davidson County Governmental Center in suspense until after 10 p.m., a good two hours after most races had been declared, the results ended the sheriff ’s race in blowout fashion. “It’s great and better than I expected,” Grice said. “I was sort of hoping for 51 or 52 percent, but 60 is great. I am truly humbled by all
‘Davidson County voters have responded and came out and supported a conservative. I think it sends a message that people are satisfied.’ — David Grice Sheriff the support. I think this sends a message that Davidson County is moving forward and will continue to move forward. “People are smarter than some people give them credit for. Davidson County voters have responded and came out and supported a conservative. I think it sends a mes-
sage that people are satisfied. We’re always looking to improve things and we will continue to do that.” A total of 15,836 votes were cast in the sheriff ’s race with 9,631 or 60.82 percent going to Grice. Former sheriff Gerald Hege finished second with 3,838 votes (24.24 percent) and retired highway patrolman Terry Price came in third, claiming 2,274 votes (14.36 percent). Davidson County Board of Elections Director Ruth Huneycutt said that turnout for the sheriff ’s race increased by nearly nine percent from 2006. “It’s always disappointing when you come up short of your goal,” said Price, who did not rule out the possibility of running again in 2014 despite consecutive defeats to Grice. “I feel disappointed for all
In an otherwise as-expected Primary Election, the Democratic U.S. Senate race results call for a head-to-head runoff. Neither Cal Cunningham — a Davidson County native — nor Elaine Marshall was able to garner 40 percent of the votes necessary to win the election outright. The runoff will take place June 22, and the winner will move on to challenge Republican Sen. Richard Burr. Statewide, Marshall took 36.36 percent of the votes while Cunningham won 27.31 percent. “We thought it’d be a little bit Cunningham closer than what it was percentagewise,” said Roy Holman, chairman of the Davidson County Democratic Party. “We’d heard so many good, positive things from a lot of people.” Ken Lewis took third with 17 percent of the votes, with Marcus Williams and Ann Worthy trailing. Burr defeated three challengers, Brad Jones, Eddie Burks and Larry Marshall Linney. In Davidson County, Cunningham took the majority with ease, raking in 66.7 percent of the votes as opposed to Marshall’s 16.44 percent. “He hasn’t had a lot of time to work on his campaign, but he’s come a long way, he really has,” Holman said. “We’re excited about the momentum.
See SENATE, Page A6
Primary Election Results U.S. Senate (Dem.) Cal Cunningham (27.31 percent) and Elaine Marshall (36.36 percent) in runoff election on June 22
U.S. Senate (Rep.) Richard Burr — 76 percent U.S. House of Representatives (Rep.) Howard Coble — 63.65 percent U.S. House of Representatives (Rep.) Scott Cumbie — 39.49 percent N.C. House of Representatives (Rep.) Jerry Dockham — 64.09 percent N.C. House of Representatives (Rep.) Rayne Brown — 59.72 percent
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District 81
See CLEAR, Page A6
Incumbent commissioners take top three spots Tuesday BY ERIN WILTGEN Staff Writer
Davidson County held the status-quo Tuesday during Primary Election for county commissioner. The three incumbents — Commissioners Billy Joe Kepley, Don Truell and Sam Watford — took the top three spots in the Republican primary with 15.80 percent, 13.33 percent and 13.08 percent of the votes, respectively. “The three incumbents have a huge advantage with name recognition,” said
Lance Barrett, chairman of the Davidson County Republican Party. “It didn’t really surprise me that they finished one, two and three.” Kepley jokingly attributed the incumbents’ reelection to public attachment. “It’s like an old antique lamp in the house that you just don’t want to get rid of,” he said laughing. “It couldn’t be because of my look and my charm. Things get older, and they have sentimental value.” The lead vote-getter in the Republican primary, Kepley
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says one of the things that helped his campaign was a series of Burma-Shave-type signs. Kepley used the campaign technique when he first ran for office in 1990, and brought them back this election. His Burma-Shave signs were a series of four signs, each with a phrase that together made a witty sentence. Kepley’s read “I love my friends,” “Maybe my enemies, too,” “I ask each to vote,” “For you know who.”
TIMES PHOTO/ELIOT DUKE
Political hopefuls and their supporters gathered at the Davidson County See SPOTS, Page A6 Governmental Center Tuesday to watch as results were reported.
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