By Jeremy Weldon

The  Republican Party Primary Election runoff  drew almost 2,000 voters to the polls Tuesday. At stake was the nominations for Governor, Attorney General, Transportation Commissioner (Northern District) and Mississippi House of Representatives District 10.

Local candidates involved in that race were Kelly Morris of Batesville and Brady Williamson of Oxford. Morris received 714 votes to Williamson’s 583 in the 10 Panola County precincts, but lost by larger margins than he could overcome in Lafayette County.

Williamson will be the Republican nominee for the seat on the General Election ballot in November when he will face another Panola County candidate, Josh Hawkins (I) of Batesville.

“I would like to thank voters in Panola County for their support in the primary and again in the runoff. I’m grateful to our campaign opponents, Robby Gray and Kelly Morris. Both are great men from great families,” Williamson said.

“I am fortunate and surprised that I came out on top. It was the cleanest race I’ve witnessed,” he said.

In Panola County the candidates split the precinct boxes, each winning five. Williamson won at the County Extension Building (55-53), Pope City Hall (52-50), Black Jack Community Center (118-104), and Eureka Community Center (81-77).

Morris won at Mt. Olivet Fire Dept. (116-107), Sardis Courthouse (57-34), Tocowa Community Center (74-26), Batesville Courthouse (168-91), and at Crower (5-2).

The District 10 seat is about evenly split between Panola and Lafayette Counties and is currently held by Rep. Nolan Mettetal of Sardis.

In the statewide races, Panola County Republicans preferred Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves over Bill Waller, Jr.,  for Governor (1,105-824) and John Caldwell over Geoffrey Yoste for Transportation Commission (1,270-55). Both of the Panola winners were also successful overall and will advance to the General Election.

For Attorney General, Lynn Fitch was the statewide winner over Andy Taggart, but in Panola County the candidates were even, with each getting 932.