With a big push from voters in Adams County, Bob Dearing pulled out another win for the Mississippi Senate District 37 seat on Tuesday, this time defeating McComb attorney William Guy.
“He buried me in Natchez,” Guy said this morning.
Dearing, D-Natchez, won with 9,855 votes (65 percent), over Guy’s 5,641 votes, according to unofficial returns.
Guy carried Pike and Amite counties, while Dearing held on to precinct boxes in Franklin County and had an overwhelming win in his home base of Adams County.
“I knew going in it was a battle that probably couldn’t be won,” Guy said.
But the former Mississippi legislator, senator and candidate for lieutenant governor has no regrets.
“I met so many great people. I am just so happy this morning. I’m happy it’s over,” Guy said. “I’m very thankful for the ones who supported me. I ran it as hard as I could run. I have no regrets. That’s the way I take defeat; defeat is not the end. I just feel so grateful for so many people who got out there and worked hard for me.”
Guy said several factors likely figured into the win for Dearing, an insurance agent who was first elected to the Senate in 1979.
“Some folks may have been against me because I’m a lawyer. I’m not ashamed to admit it. I can’t wait to get back and get started (working again),” Guy said.
And he believes that because Pike County already had a senator in Kelvin Butler, D-Magnolia (re-elected to represent District 38), voters in Adams County “weren’t going to let us have another senator from Pike County.”
And though Guy might be down, he’s not out.
“I’m certainly not through. I’ll be around,” he said. “I want to encourage young people to get involved in the political game. It’s a great game.”
He also is a believer in the open primary system, allowing residents to vote for the candidates they want, regardless of their political party affiliation.
“A community shouldn’t be divided,” he said. “We have so much in common. We should be working together.”
Dearing said Guy called him this morning with congratulations.
“William and I pledged to run a clean campaign. We started out as friends, and ended the race as friends. I think that’s what the people wanted,” Dearing said. “I don’t think they wanted mudslinging.”
Dearing said Guy’s kinship and friendship with voters in Pike County contributed to Guy’s win here.
“In Adams County, I’ve got my wife, two daughters, and two cousins and their spouses. In Pike County, (Guy) is kin to half the folks over there,” Dearing said with a chuckle. “Normally, there are people in Pike County who may have put up some of my yard signs. They didn’t this time because they were Williams’ kinfolk.”
Dearing noted Guy’s win in Amite County, as well, and said, “Obviously, I need to work (that county) harder. I had a lot of people trying to help me.”
Now that the race is over, Dearing said he’ll take a few days to catch his breath.
“I’m going to get in all my signs, write thank-you notes and thank those people who held up signs for me in 95-degree weather,” Dearing said.
