Jason Massey said he wasn't surprised that he defeated his opponent so decisively in Tuesday's Republican primary for Logan County sheriff.
Massey, a lieutenant, is supervisor of the sheriff's office Criminal Investigation Division.
With all precincts reporting, the unofficial returns were:
Massey 1,644
Jason Parsons 426
Since he faces no candidate from an opposing party in the November general election, Massey will become sheriff Jan. 1. As a deputy with more than 10 years on the force and a friend of retiring Sheriff Boyd Hicks, Massey said he expects his transition into the sheriff's office to be seamless.
Still, Massey took nothing for granted ahead of the election. He said he campaigned door to door, attended every community event and mailed out campaign material.
"I ran a pretty strong, traditional campaign, and I didn't see my opponent out very much," he said.
Other candidates in western Arkansas who won their primaries Tuesday night also found themselves in Massey's situation, winning election because of the lack of a candidate from an opposing party.
Sebastian County sheriff's Chief Deputy Hobe Runion will become the new sheriff in January after defeating two challengers for the Republican Party nomination in the primary. No candidate from another party filed for the position.
Will all precincts reporting, the unofficial results were:
Runion 8,119
Jarrard Copeland 3,550
Randy McFadden 1,868
Runion received about 60 percent of the ballots cast in the race, eliminating the need for a runoff next month. He said in a Facebook posting Wednesday that the level of support for him left him humble and confident.
Copeland, a former Fort Smith police major, also posted a statement on Facebook pledging his support for the county's new sheriff. McFadden, a former Washington and Sebastian county law officer, didn't return a phone call seeking comment Wednesday.
Runion will succeed Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck, who announced earlier this year that he would not seek a fifth term as sheriff.
Incumbent Ray Gack defeated Randy Trusty in the Republican primary for Logan County's county judge position Tuesday.
With all precincts reporting, the unofficial results were:
Gack 1,668
Trusty 426
In Scott County's Democratic primary, County Judge James Forbes defeated Phillip Sherrill.
With all precincts reporting, the unofficial results were:
Forbes 525
Sherrill 329
NW News on 05/25/2018