Bradley County voters toss out two GOP incumbent commissioners

A steady stream of people of enters and leaves the Bradley County Election Commission Office during early voting hours in Cleveland, Tenn. (Photo by Paul Leach)
A steady stream of people of enters and leaves the Bradley County Election Commission Office during early voting hours in Cleveland, Tenn. (Photo by Paul Leach)

CLEVELAND, Tenn. - Republican primary voters decided to keep half of the four embattled incumbents seeking re-election to the Bradley County Commission.

Commissioners Dan Rawls and Robert Rominger, who represent seats in District 6, lost their bids for the Republican nomination to Tim Mason and Erica Davis, respectively.

"Erica Davis ran a good race," Rominger said. "It was time for me to step down. I gave it my all and it was not good enough."

Davis, who also defeated candidate Tommy Ledford in a three-way race for District 6, Seat B, could not be reached for comment. She received 1,233 votes, while Ledford and Rominger received 468 votes and 692 votes, respectively.

Mason defeated Rawls in a landslide for Seat A, with the candidates receiving 1,816 votes and 639 votes, respectively. Neither candidate could be reached for comment.

Commissioner Charlotte Peak swept away challenger Alex Morrow in her re-election bid for District 4, Seat A. She received 1,467 votes to Morrow's 591.

Commissioner Bobby Goins also won re-election by a wide margin, taking 675 votes to the 269 votes received by his opponent, Jerry Cross.

"I'm just humbled," Goins said, thanking the voters. "I did this campaign like I did four years ago: I knocked on doors and made friends."

Cross could not be reached for comment.

Republican primary voters also elected Dennis Epperson to take District 1, Seat A, left vacant by Terry Caywood, who decided not to seek re-election. Epperson received 1,387 votes; his opponent, Rick Bise, received 1,262.

The Republican primary has also placed Kevin Raper on the ballot to face Democrat Tammy Davis for the District 7, Seat A race in the county general election on Aug. 2. Raper defeated opponent Joshua Rogers, taking 1,110 votes to Rogers' 666 votes.

Davis, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, received 66 votes. She was the only candidate on the Democratic primary ballot.

Eight Bradley County commissioners did not face opposition in the Republican primary.

Of the two contested countywide races, Republican voters kicked out Eric Watson after one term as sheriff, but they kept long-serving Gayla Miller in place as the Circuit Court clerk. Watson lost to challenger Steve Lawson and Miller overtook challenger Jeff Young. Neither victor faces a Democratic opponent in the county general election.

Republican voters also re-elected incumbents in two out of three contested constable races. Dewayne Hicks lost his re-election bid to Timothy Colbaugh in District 6, but Richard Alford beat challenger Jimmy Kendrick in District 2 and Garry D. Moore won over Jeffery Lewis in District 1.

Contact Paul Leach at paul.leach.press@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @pleach_3.

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