Magnolia voters picked a new mayor and two challengers over sitting board members in Tuesday’s Democratic party primaries that will serve as a proxy to the June general election with no other candidates running.
Marvin Brumfield bested first-term incumbent Mayor Tammy Witherspoon 263 (68%) to 123.
Chad Williams will replace Alderwoman Becky Magee in Ward 1 and Dorothy Dillon will replace Clarence Burton Jr. in Ward 2.
Williams had 50 votes, while Magee finished with 41 and Charles White had three.
Dillon narrowly defeated Burton, 54-52.
In the other two races, Alderman at-large Darrell Pounds fended off a challenge from Jennifer Jones Knox, winning 275 to 86.
Ward 4 Alderman Joe Cornacchione was unopposed.
The only race that still has to be decided is Ward 3 Alderman. Theresa Brown Weatherspoon and Cheryl Grady advanced to an April 22 runoff. Weatherspoon had 43 votes, while Grady had 39 and Gloria Burton Martin finished with 18.
The winner of the runoff will succeed Antonio Martin, who did not seek another term.
Brumfield, who takes office when a new four-year term begins July 1, said the outcome of the race wasn’t a shock, but his margin of victory came as a bit of a surprise.
“I was kind of surprised that the outcome was as large of a margin as it was, but I wasn’t surprised by the fact that the voters were ready for a change,” he said Tuesday. “I think the voters had become very disappointed in the direction that the city is going in, and I think that the voters from all wards showed their support, that they were ready for a new direction for the city to go in, and I’m just excited to be elected as the mayor.”
Brumfield said during his campaign that he was disappointed that downtown businesses had either closed or moved away, and he said other residents feel the same way.
“I will keep the promise that I made, and I only made one promise to the voters, and that promise was that from Day 1, when I take the mayor’s office, me and everybody that works for the mayor’s office will work for the citizens of Magnolia,” he said.
In addition to commerce, Brumfield said residents want to see police protection ramped up and more action from the public works department.
‘They want to get a stronger police department and I want to be able to work with the current chief of police to give her the tools and the support that she needs to build a stronger police department,” Brumfield said. “I want to do whatever it takes to make them stronger so we can work better.”
Brumfield, who has been a supervisor in shipping at Wayne Sanderson Farms for more than 20 years, acknowledged his lack of government experience but said he was eager to get to know the job.
“I want to be able to attend some classes so I can be a little more knowledgeable about the daily operation of the city,’ Brumfield said. “I also want to bring the leadership ability that I have, acquired over the years of being in management to the mayor’s office so that we can be able to have a stronger city.
“I’m a novice, and I will be a novice to this job, but what I want is to bring all of the citizens back to this board. I thank the voters for believing in me and now just want to go out and earn the trust that they put in me.
“It’s all about the citizens of Magnolia,” Brumfield said.
Witherspoon said she was disappointed in the outcome of the race but graciously accepted defeat, wishing Brumfield the best as she prepares to leave office in three months.
“I want to thank all the citizens of Magnolia. It has truly been an honor to serve as their mayor. And I thank all of the voters who came out and supported me for my second term,” she said. “I want to congratulate Mr. Brumfield and I wish him the best. I want to ensure a smooth transition.”
Voting took place at the Magnolia Community Center, and there was some drama when sheriff’s deputies were called to escort Witherspoon’s husband, former Mayor Anthony Witherspoon, away from the polling place.
Chief Deputy Damian Gatlin said Anthony Witherspoon’s first cousin Freddy confronted him about greeting people while serving as a poll watcher.
“He basically said Anthony shoved him and attacked him,” Gatlin said.
He said Magnolia Police Chief Sonya Woodall asked Freddy to leave the precinct, and deputies asked Anthony to leave. Neither man was present during the ballot count Tuesday night.
