David Gore will serve as Webster County’s next sheriff after winning the Nov. 5 general election for that office.
The Democratic candidate received 62% of the vote (2,552) for the open seat, according to unofficial final results with affidavits. Republican Jeffrey Mann was second with 28% (1,141) followed by Independent candidate Calvin “Brad” Robinson.
Gore, who carried every precinct, retired last year after working 35 years as a game warden in the county. He will succeed Andy McCants, who served as sheriff pro tempore from January until the Board of Supervisors appointed him sheriff in June. The former elected sheriff, Tim Mitchell, resigned after pleading guilty to embezzling weapons and trafficking them.
Supervisor Races
All Webster County supervisors will return to office, three of whom had opponents in the general election. All five supervisors are serving as Democrats.
District 1 Supervisor Curtis C. “Eudy” Morris defeated Republican challenger Kevin “Rudy” Ray with 68% of the vote (510-238).
Board President Pat Cummings was reelected in District 2 with 76% of the vote against Republican Matt Brasher (626-194).
District 3 Supervisor Randy “Poochie” Rico won another term with 53% of the vote over Republican Jason Burney (387-348).
All three incumbents carried every precinct in their district with the exception of District 3. Rico and Burney tied in Eupora No. 3 with 91 votes each, and Burney received five votes more in Fay.
District 4’s Paul Crowley went unopposed this year and District 5’s Doug Burgess won reelection outright in the Democratic primary, having no general election opponent.
Attorney, Coroner
Republican Henry Ross was elected county attorney (prosecutor) with 68% of the vote against Democrat Hays Burchfield (2,723-1,303). Ross was appointed to the position following the resignation of Jan Butler in September 2018. Ross carried every precinct except two, with Burchfield receiving the most votes in the Bluff Springs and Eupora No. 1 precincts.
Democrat Scott Dean won the coroner’s race with 54% of the vote against Republican opponent Dianne Wright (2,217-1,858). Dean has been serving as deputy coroner; incumbent Steve Wells did not seek reelection. Wright carried these precincts: Cadaretta, Clarkson, Cumberland, Fame, Mantee and Mathiston.
Other Races
In contested statewide and state-district races involving Webster, all Republican candidates won out and carried the county: governor, Tate Reeves; lieutenant governor, Delbert Hosemann; secretary of state, Michael Watson; attorney general, Lynn Fitch; state treasurer, David McRae; commissioner of agriculture and commerce, Andy Gipson; insurance commissioner, Mike Chaney; and Northern District transportation commissioner, John Caldwell.
Reeves earned 53% of the statewide vote and carried Webster with 73%.
In addition to Supervisors Crowley and Burgess, others unopposed in the general election were Chancery Clerk Russ Turner, Circuit Clerk Sherry Henderson, Tax Assessor-Collector Barbara Gore, Justice Court Judges Jerry Jones (District 1) and Rebecca Ellison (District 2), Constables Jeff McMinn (District 1) and Jeremy Kilgore (District 2), Thomas Allen for county surveyor, District 23 Rep. Jim Beckett, District 35 Rep. Joey Hood, District 46 Rep. Karl Oliver, District 15 Sen. Gary Jackson, District Attorney Doug Evans, Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley and state Auditor Shad White.
Allen is the first person in the county elected to the position of county surveyor and White was appointed state auditor in July 2018.
The voter turnout in Webster County for the general election was 57%, which compares to 48% in 2015. Two no-photo ID affidavits remained uncounted last week.
