HUNTINGTON -- Steve Williams and Rebecca Thacker were victorious Tuesday night among a field of six Democrats vying for two at-large seats on Huntington City Council.
Williams and Thacker will face Republicans Mike Davis and Alex Vence in the Nov. 4 general election. The GOP candidates were unopposed in the primary.
City Council's two current at-large members -- Garry Black and Paul Farrell -- did not run for re-election.
With all of the 43 city precincts counted in Cabell and Wayne counties, Williams received the most votes (3,525) among the Democratic at-large candidates, according to unofficial returns. Thacker was second with 2,521 votes.
She was followed by Joe Randolph (1,713), Scott Wallace (1,491), Thomas McChesney (1,424) and P.D. Adkins (1,377). Adkins is currently the District 8 city councilman, but he opted to run at-large.
Tuesday's primary also guaranteed the return of five incumbent council members. District 1 Councilman Jim Ritter and District 7 Councilman Scott Caserta were the only candidates to file in their district.
Meanwhile, District 3 Councilwoman Frances Jackson, District 5 Councilwoman Sandra Clements and District 9 Councilman Jim Insco won their primary races. The three Democratic incumbents are unopposed in the general election.
Jackson received 220 votes to Charles Harless' 114. Clements (705 votes) dominated challengers John Vance (144), Osagie Ayanru (90) and Jeremiah Jasper (84). Insco (438 votes) edged out Richard "Rick" Simmons (412).
That leaves the two at-large seats as well as districts 2, 4, 6 and 8 as the only contested council races in the fall.
In District 2, incumbent Teresa Loudermilk (234 votes) squeaked by challenger Pete Gillespie (225). Clinton Bowen and Tom McCloud finished third and fourth, respectively. Loudermilk will face Republican D. Everett Fullerton in the general election. Fullerton was unopposed Tuesday.
Democrat Brenda Adams and Republican Nate Randolph were unopposed in the primary and will square off in the general election for the council's district 4 seat. Independent candidate Curt McHaffie could join them. McHaffie filed a petition to be placed on the general election ballot, but the signatures still must be verified, assistant city clerk Kathy Torlone said.
In the only contested Republican primary race in Cabell County, Mark Bates defeated Deron Runyon by 50 votes for the council's District 6 seat. Bates will face Democrat Ray Browning, a retired Huntington firefighter and president of the Walnut Hills neighborhood association, in the general election.
Democrat Russ Houck, a retired Huntington policeman, and Republican Levi Lovett, a Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District commissioner, will vie for the District 8 seat in November. Both were unopposed Tuesday.
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