by staff
Tuesday’s primary election produced a sweep for area incumbents and a lower-than-expected voter turnout. In Duval County, only 14.9 percent of the registered voters went to the polls — a percentage that includes two weeks of early voting.
The low turnout didn’t negatively impact local incumbents, however. State Sen. Jim King and State Reps. Audrey Gibson and Terry Fields advanced to November’s general election. Three Duval County School Board members all handily won another term.
Statewide, Charlie Crist won the Republican nomination for governor with 65 percent of the vote while Jim Davis garnered 47 percent, edged Rod Smith (41 percent) and earned the Democratic nod. Crist easily outdistanced Tom Gallagher (34 percent).
In the U.S. Senate race, Republican Katherine Harris (50 percent) will face Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson in November.
In the Fourth Circuit judicial races, Libby Senterfitt won the Circuit Court, Group 4 race while Dan Wilensky won the Circuit Court, Group 35 race. In the Circuit Court, Group 34 race, John Merrett and David l. Thompson will face each other in a run-off and in the County Court, Group 17 race, Dawn Hudson and Virginia Norton are in the November run-off.
The local results are as follows:
State Senate
Jim King — 67 percent
Randall Terry — 33 percent
State House, Dist. 14
Terry Fields — 66.3 percent
Reginald Brown — 33.7 percent
State House, Dist. 15
Audrey Gibson — 56.9 percent
Reggie Fullwood — 43.1 percent
Duval County School Board
Dist. 2
Nancy Broner — 71.5 percent
John Meisburg — 28.5 percent
Dist. 4
Brenda Priestly-Jackson — 82.4 percent
Alzic Upton — 17.6 percent
Dist. 6
Vicki Drake — 66.8 percent
Steven Belger — 33.2 percent
County Court, Group 17
Dawn Hudson — 36.5 percent
Virginia Norton — 33.2 percent
Steven Combs — 18.1 percent
Kevin Sanders — 12.1 percent
Circuit Court, Group 33
Libby Senterfitt — 51.9 percent
Jeff Morrow — 48.1 percent
Circuit Court, Group 34
John Merrett — 42 percent
David L. Thompson — 26.3 percent
Jack Bettman — 16.9 percent
Wes White — 14.8 percent
Circuit Court, Group 35
Dan Wilensky — 55.4 percent
Thereasa Hunnewell-McCaulie — 44.6 percent