At about 11 o”clock Tuesday night, Bill Brigham was rounding up the last of his large campaign signs.
For Brigham, who outseated incumbent Lowndes County District 2 Supervisor Frank Ferguson, the anticipation is over.
Brigham beat out Ferguson, who is finishing his first term as supervisor, 1,404 (59.97 percent) to 936 (39.98 percent), in the Republican primary, to secure a seat at the Board of Supervisors” table in January.
Jeff Smith, incumbent District 4 supervisor, also can relax. He beat out Democratic challengers Anthony Sanders and Howard Smart, with 1,265 votes, 53.06 percent of the vote. It will be Smith”s second term.
For other supervisors, who will head into the general election, there”s barely enough time to catch their breath.
“Right now, I”m wore out and tired,” District 1 Supervisor Harry Sanders said, as he worked on a Soduko puzzle, at around 11:10, in an attempt to “wind down.”
Sanders took 1,562 votes, 65.08 percent of the vote, against his Republican candidate, Phillip Atkins, whom he commended “for running a good clean race.”
But, as Sanders pointed out, “it”s not over.”
“I”ve got a really tough race in the general election,” he said. “I”ve got a Democratic and an independent candidate … I feel confident that I”m gonna do OK, but you never know. I”ve got two formidable opponents.”
Sanders faces Democrat Willie Petty and independent Joey Pounders on the Nov. 8 ballot. Sanders is in his 12th year as supervisor, eight of which he has been board president.
In District 5, the heated race between Democrats Leroy Brooks, a 28-year incumbent, and Kenneth McFarland ended with Brooks solidly reclaiming his seat, with 1,019 votes, or 67.31 percent.
Brooks faces independent Roger Larsen in the general election. Larsen founded The Columbus Packet and was its editor and publisher for 18 years before selling the weekly newspaper last year.
District 3 Supervisor John Holliman, a Republican, heads straight into the November election, against independent Mike Smith, former District 3 supervisor.
Though he is the only sitting Lowndes County supervisor to be outseated, thus far, Ferguson said he is proud of the accomplishments the board has made in the past four years.
Ferguson said he would change “not one thing” about his campaign or his tenure on the board.
“I just appreciate the ones that voted for me, and I hope it works out well for the county. All I want is what”s best for the county,” said Ferguson, a retired businessman. “The (current) board did more than any other board ever, and I doubt if any other board will do as much. I just wish the county well, and I hope it prospers and we can go on from here.”
Sanders said “Frank was a good supervisor, but Bill Brigham will certainly be an excellent supervisor, too.
“I”ve known both of them, and grew up with them,” he continued. “Bill”s a good friend, and I”ve known him all my life. And I think we”ll have a good working relationship.”
As for Brigham, he”s got the next several months to think about how he”ll manage District 2.
“I”ve got the next five months to think about that,” Brigham said. “And that”s exactly what I intend to do, is study the position more and study the responsibilities more.”
He also plans to “attend board meetings and see how those function.”
Brigham attributes his successful campaign to “hard work, not only by myself, but by a team of people.”
Though he had never run for office, Brigham has “done a lot of public-service-type work.”
“I just have a servant”s heart, and I feel like I have some leadership skills that I feel like I have something I can offer to our county.”
Brigham has served on the boards for the First Federal Bank, United Way of Lowndes County, Columbus-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce and currently serves on the YMCA, Columbus Foundation and Keep Mississippi Beautiful.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 39 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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Related Photos
From left, Detrick Jefferson, Tierra Porter, Ansalia Thomas, Jasmine Cotton, Jeff Smith and Gregory Jefferson celebrate with a group cheer after Smith won the Lowndes County District 4 supervisor Democratic primary to reclaim his seat. Photo by: Kelly Tippett
