After winning the race for Henderson County Judge-Executive, Timmy Dunn said the top thing on his mind is that “I’m praying for everybody in Henderson County.”
He said the grueling campaign marked by very contentious and active comments on social media was difficult for him and his family, but his challenger, “Les (Jenkins-Mackey) and his family went through the last ten months, as well.”
In a historic win, Dunn garnered 7,946 votes to Jenkins-Mackey’s 5,407. Dunn’s total represented 59.51% of the vote count, while Jenkins-Mackey’s was 40.49%.
Dunn will become the first biracial judge-executive in Henderson County when he steps into office in January. But Dunn downplayed any big significance based on race, saying he didn’t want to give it any type of pedestal. He did embrace another identity, though.
“I’m American through and through,” he said.
Dunn, however, acknowledged that many people have reached out to him during his campaign because of his race, his having a past that includes some arrests and his growing up in very poor conditions, and they have told him it inspires them to overcome obstacles.
“It just shows that they can do it, too,” Dunn said.
Meanwhile, Jenkins-Mackey, reached by phone, said the results “are what they are.”
He said, though, that there are positives that can come out of the results, with the main thing being that he will have more time to get involved in the community.
Jenkins-Mackey volunteers coaching cross country and track and also with the Henderson Chamber of Commerce. A lot of that had to be curtailed, he said, to make room for campaigning.
But now with more time, he and husband Harrison will be able to pursue adopting a child, which is something they had planned to pursue last summer but had put on pause once Jenkins-Mackey won the Democratic spring primary race, he said.
He didn’t know if he would run for another seat in the future, but he did say that he wants to stay active in the local Democratic party. He said the party needs more young people as does the whole of local politics.
For Dunn, the challenge now will be to unite voters who fought each other during the campaign. He said the two parties will need to work together.
“We have to put party lines to the side,” he said. “Otherwise, we’re not going to move forward.”
Dunn also said he’s ready to work with a Henderson Fiscal Court that in January will feature three new members—himself, incoming magistrates James Franks and J.R. Stanley—and three returners—magistrates Tim Southard, Butch Puttman and Bills Starks. He said he expects to lean on the veterans as well as County Attorney Steve Gold, who has been in his position since 2008.
Dunn said he’s “ready but not ready” to start the position on Jan. 1. He mentioned nearby judge-executives Adam O’Nan in Union County and Steve Henry in Webster County, both of whom have told him that he doesn’t need to know everything on day one and he will learn something every day of his term.
State Representative Dist. 11
J.T. Payne said that he feels great to being sent back to Frankfort. He said the longer a legislator is in the General Assembly the more influence he or she has. He believes he accomplished a fair amount in his first term.
Payne won the local state representative seat Tuesday over challenger Janelle Rowena Glass. Payne had 8,449 votes (62.74%) while Glass got 5,018 (37.26%).
Though Payne won by a wide margin, he said he took nothing for granted during the fall campaign. No matter the opponent, a candidate in an election needs to work hard and meet voters, he said.
Voters this campaign cycle, he said, were concerned with affordability and keeping the government out of their lives as much as possible.
He expressed thanks to voters who are sending him back to the General Assembly and said he’ll work as hard for those who didn’t vote for him as he will for those who did.
Henderson City Commission
Perhaps the most low-key intrigue of election night revolved around three candidates who were trying to win the third and fourth seats of the Henderson City Commission. With the top two seats all but wrapped up by incumbents Robert Pruitt and Kelsey Hargis, who again will be the mayor pro tem as the top vote-getter, challengers Isaac Church, Chris Thomas and Tom Williams vied for the final two seats.
Through all the updates during the election results, it appeared that Thomas and Williams would get those seats, with Williams holding a slight edge over Church. But in the last update, Church jumped over Williams taking the final spot by 16 votes.
Williams, in fifth, finished with 3,145 votes; Church, in fourth, had 3,161; and third-place finisher Thomas had 3,246.
Hargis outpaced them all with 4,504 votes, and Pruitt had 3,700. Kristie Randolph finished with 2,359 votes.
District 1 magistrate
J.R. Stanley, a Republican, defeated Jon Douglas in the District 1 magisterial race. Stanley had 1,923 votes to Douglas’ 1,121.
Stanley credited a lot of hard work, going door-to-door and getting help from many people for his victory.
He said he’ll be ready to start in January. He credits working with government for many years as preparation for the job ahead. “I’m ready,” he said. He worked for 10 years in the school system and 17 in the streets department with the City of Henderson, he said.
In recent years, city and county governments have collaborated together to get many projects and initiatives completed. Stanley said his experience with city government will help continue that trend. “Absolutely,” he said.
He also said the Henderson Fiscal Court made up of three new members and three returners should be a good court and will work together.
District 3 magistrate
Incumbent Tim Southard won over challenger Rachel Bray. Southard picked up 1,590 votes to Bray’s 822. Southard is one of three incumbent magistrates returning to fiscal court for another term.
District 4 magistrate
Longtime Magistrate Butch Puttman won another term, this time defeating challenger Kevin Morgan. Puttman pulled in 1,215 votes, or 64.77% of the total, to Morgan’s 661, or 35.23% of the vote.
District 5 magistrate
It appeared challenger Noah Mills had a good chance of unseating incumbent Bill “Stephens” Starks. Mills had outraised Starks by a wide margin. But perhaps Starks’ years of being heard on WSON were too much to overcome on Mills’ first candidacy for a political seat. Starks finished with 1,448 votes to Mills’ 1,330.
District Judge First Division
Both Ashley Hampton and Lindsey Noller Turner were first-time candidates for the seat being vacated by the retiring Judge Jill Brady. Hampton garnered 53.82% of the votes, 5,042, while Turner had 46.18% of the votes.
Finally…
There were also two races in which write-in candidates tried to shake things up. That didn’t happen. Locally, state Sen. Robby Mills picked up 9,020 votes to write-in candidate Jayna Russelburg’s 835.
Jailer Anthony Willett, who was appointed to the position on July 1 after former Jailer Bruce Todd retired, picked up 9,130 votes. Write-in candidate Christina Grillon got 920.
Check back for updates as we attempt to contact more candidates for comments.
