Baker County Commissioner unseated

Baker County Commissioner unseated

Candidates for Baker County’s District One seat gathered with their supporters at the Supervisor of Elections Office Tuesday night to await the results from the county’s closed Republican primary. As the nine precincts results were announced by Elections Supervisor Nita Crawford,

Incumbent Commissioner Julie Combs graciously conceded the race to Michael Crews.

the huddled groups listened and cheered.

Trailing by more than three hundred votes, incumbent Commissioner Julie Combs graciously conceded the race to first time candidate Michael Crews, as the final results were announced.

Mr. Crews told his supporters, "Without ya’ll I wouldn’t be here. I didn’t make very many promises, but the ones I did I intend to keep. We are halfway there and come November we will be there."

In a later interview the Republican primary winner praised county commissioner Alex Robinson for his unprecedented endorsement. He said, "For Baker County this is the first Republican primary. While many people know that, what a lot of folks didn’t see was that an elected official put it on the line and came out and endorsed a candidate in a race against a sitting incumbent. It is that type of leadership, someone that is willing to come out and do what is right, that is the type of leadership that not only our county but also our country needs."

"When we get past November, I look forward to a good working relationship with all the

"Without ya’ll I wouldn’t be here. I didn’t make very many promises, but the ones I did I intend to keep. We are halfway there and come November we will be there."

commissioners," said Crews, who also received congratulations from County Commissioners Gordon Crews and Mike Griffis.

Mr. Crews still faces a tough challenge from Democratic candidate Phillip Jefferson during the general election. This is Jefferson’s second run for the commission seat. He was one of four contenders who lost to Combs four years ago.

Mr. Jefferson was among the crowd gathered in the county annex parking lot and after the results were announced he stated, "I am just scouting the competition. I guess myself and Mr. Crews will go at it this November. It is time for new leadership in this county."

After conceding to her opponent, Mrs. Combs made a brief statement and said she was already a winner because her son had informed her the night before that she would soon be adding a new grandchild to the family.

On what the future holds for her, she said, "The world is ahead of me. I think I have done a good job and I am proud that I never compromised my principles."