By By JONATHAN CLAYBORNE
Staff Writer
Washington Councilman Archie Jennings pulled off a major upset Tuesday, defeating incumbent Mayor Judy Meier Jennette in a four-way race.
In the City Council race, two incumbent members — Richard Brooks and Darwin Woolard — were unseated while political novice Bobby Roberson captured a seat as top vote-getter in the contest.
Rounding out the winning five in an nine-way competition — which included a write-in candidate — were Roberson, incumbents Doug Mercer and Gil Davis and newcomers Edward Moultrie and William Pitt.
Finishing out the bottom four were Brooks, Donna Lay, Woolard and write-in candidate Sean “Nico” Nathan.
According to unofficial totals, Jennings polled 801 votes to Jennette’s 607 votes.
Rounding out the bottom two were former Beaufort County Commissioner Mickey Cochran, who scored 124 votes, and first-time office-seeker Rick Gagliano, who received 72 votes.
All totals are unofficial until canvassed by the Beaufort County Board of Elections. The votes will be canvassed, or made official, beginning at 11 a.m. Nov. 10.
“I feel fantastic,” Jennings said Tuesday night. “I tell you, it was a great turnout, and to go into office with that kind of turnout, with that kind of margin, just really sends a message about the kind of leadership the community wants.”
Jennings said his first priority is to “kind of develop a team atmosphere around the council.”
“The first priority is how we go about working on (the issues),” he said.
He thanked Jennette for her 20 years of public service — first as a council member and then as mayor — and said her long-term tenure “is just an incredible statement in and of itself.”
“She ran a great campaign,” Jennings said. “My feeling was that it was going to be close down to the very last.”
Jennette said she is glad the race is over.
“I’m not thrilled with the result, but it is what it is,” she said.
Asked why she felt she had been defeated, Jennette replied, “A big deciding factor was the electric rates (charged by Washington Electric Utilities).”
She said her opposition worked hard, going door to door seeking votes.
Asked if she had any advice for the incoming mayor and council, Jennette stated, “With this new group it really doesn’t matter what I think. They’re going to do what they want to do. But I wish them well, and I hope that they do right by the city.”
Gagliano indicated he was pleased with an outcome that left him in fourth place.
“I didn’t lose because I got my name out there, and it’s the first time I’m running, and I learned a lot of information about how the city runs and the budgets and things,” he said. “I’m glad Archie Jennings won.”
Gagliano said he would run for mayor again in two years.
“This is just feelers, and I congratulate everybody who won,” he commented.
Cochran couldn’t be reached for comment.
On the council side, Roberson attributed his placement to being born and raised in the area, as well as his profile as Washington’s retired city planner.
“I think that had a lot to do with it,” he said. “I think my experience in local government and the fact that I’ve worked in other municipalities, I think, helped in this election.”
Mercer said he appreciated the vote of confidence.
“You always are concerned about just winning your way back,” he said. “I’m real tickled that it turned out the way it did.”
Davis said he was surprised that Roberson tallied the most votes, adding he had expected Mercer to come out on top as he had in the past.
“Bobby did a great job, worked real hard,” Davis said. “It’s a good group we have here, and I think we can work together.”
Moultrie said he was “elated.”
“I’m happy, and I know that there’s a lot of work ahead of us,” he stated. “And I hope that the new City Council will be fair with everyone and not rush to judgment on anything.”
Pitt compared his victory to matrimony, saying, “Again, it’s like getting married.”
He said his win was attributable to, “Being new, having an informed base to begin with, and a desire to see a new day.”
Brooks was reticent, saying he “held on to the final count.”
“I appreciate their vote,” he imparted to voters.
Said Lay, “I lost. What is there to say?”
She added, “I will not run again.”
Woolard said he was sorry he didn’t achieve re-election to the council.
“I wish the new council well,” he said. “They have a very tough, uphill battle ahead of them. I wish the results were different, but the voters have spoken.”
For more on the election, see future editions.