DEWAYNE HOLLOWAY/dewayne@mcnews.online
Prosecuting Attorney Andy Riner won big in Montgomery County, earning just over 70 percent of the vote, on his way to becoming the next judge to sit over the 18th West Circuit consisting of Montgomery and Polk Counties. The administration at Caddo Hills School District were also pleased to learn that a bond initiative that would extend the current millage rate of 33.7 percent was approved by a similar percentage.
Riner and his opponent Patrick McDaniels could be seen politicking in both counties over the course of the past three months as they worked their way toward the election. Riner easily won Montgomery County with 1,238 votes to 509 votes for McDaniel. His victory in Polk County was a bit more narrow with 2,431 votes being cast for Riner opposed to 2,073 votes cast for McDaniel. Riner won the position with a total of 3,689 votes to 2,582 votes for McDaniel.
The bond initiative presented by the Caddo Hills School District was to extend the current millage of 33.7mills to allow them to sell a new set of 30 year bonds. This would generate approximately $1.8 million to be used for construction projects at the school. The initiative passed easily with 403 votes cast for and 156 votes cast against.
Representative Marcus E. Richmond retained his seat at State Representative for District 21 by beating JIm Reynolds by a vote of 1,978 (51.83 percent) to 1,838 (48.17 percent). Richmond was victorious in Montgomery County by a vote of 101-94.
Barbara Womack Webb defeated Judge Morgan “Chip” Welch by a vote of 244,757-211,799 to win the State Supreme Court Associate Justice, Position 4 position. Judge Welch actually won Montgomery County with a vote of 865-817.
Prosecuting Attorney Stephanie Potter Barrett defeated Emily White to win the Court of Appeals Associate Justice District 4 position with a vote of 41,988-32,383. Barrett won Montgomery County with a 936-760 margin.
On the national stage Arkansas, and Montgomery County, voted in the majority with Joseph Biden winning the Democratic primary for U.S. President with 92,758 votes, 40.61 percent of the votes cast. Bernie Sanders was second with 51,201 votes (22.42 percent) and Michael Bloomberg was third with 38,208 votes (16.73 percent).
In Montgomery County, Vice President Biden won the local primary with 226 votes, or 45.2 percent of the votes cast. Sanders and Bloomberg switched places on a county level with Bloomberg edging out Sanders with 85 votes to 83. Senator Elizabeth Warren was a distant fourth place with 36 votes locally.
It was no surprise that Incumbent President Donald J. Trump won the Republican Presidential Primary with 238,020 votes, 97.13 percent of votes cast. Bill Weld received 5,191 votes (2.13 percent) and Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente received 1,838 votes (0.75 percent). In Montgomery County President Trump fared even better, earning 1136 votes, or 99.04 percent of the votes cast. Bill Weld received 11 votes locally and Roque De La Fuente received one.
