South Georgia will have a new circuit judge and faces a runoff to see who will be the GOP candidate for the state Senate District 8 seat, according to numbers available from the Secretary of State’s office Saturday.

Brian McDaniel appears to have won enough votes with 50.2 percent for the superior court judge race in the five-county Southern Circuit. Ellis Black and John Page appear headed for a runoff for the Republican candidate for state Senate District 8.

State Senate District 8

Based on the Secretary of State’s numbers, Black and Page will face one another in a runoff for Georgia state Senate District 8.

Totaling the votes from the District 8 counties of Lowndes, Echols, Cook, Brooks, Lanier, Thomas, and Clinch, Ellis Black collected 48.68 percent with 4,084 votes; John Page received 29.32 percent with 2,460 votes; and Richard Raines garnered 22 percent with 1,846 votes. These numbers indicate that Black and Page will face one another in the July 22 runoff to see which Republican candidate will face Democrat Bikram Mohanty in the November general election.

Long-time District 8 state Sen. Tim Golden’s decision not to seek another term led to several changes in the regional election field. Candidates changed plans to fill Golden’s vacancy, which caused ripples of change in other political offices.

In the GOP race, veteran District 174 state Rep. Black opted to seek the Senate seat instead of another term in the Georgia House of Representatives.

Page resigned from his Lowndes County Commission Super District 5 seat to run for the Republican nomination for the District 8 Senate seat. His County Commission seat was not open in this election cycle, and he had to resign the remainder of his term to seek another office. In addition to the primary, Lowndes County’s political races included a special election to fill the remaining term of Page’s vacated District 5 county commissioner seat, which is now a runoff race between G. Norman Bennett and Clay Griner.

Raines’ time on the County Commission ends this year, and the seat was available this election cycle. Keeping his word that he would not seek a second Lowndes County Commission term, Raines did not seek reelection, but he did feel compelled to seek the state Senate District 8 seat. He remains in office as a county commissioner until year’s end when his term expires.

Southern Circuit Judge

Based on the Secretary of State’s numbers, Brian A. McDaniel appears to have won the contested nonpartisan race for superior court judge in the Southern Judicial Circuit.

Totaling the votes of the Southern Circuit’s five counties of Lowndes, Brooks, Echols, Colquitt and Thomas, McDaniel amassed 8,480 votes, or 50.21 percent, enough to avoid a runoff by attaining more than the necessary 50 percent plus one vote to win. Fellow candidates Vernita Bender attained 28.34 percent with 4,786 votes and Jason Cain received 21.46 percent with 3,624 votes.

This was a nonpartisan race, meaning the judge’s did not run under any party affiliation.

Southern Circuit Judge Frank Horkan’s decision to not seek reelection had three candidates vying to fill his place in the Southern Judicial Circuit.

Bender of Valdosta is the City of Valdosta municipal court judge and has served in this position for the past seven and a half years.

Cain of Hahira has served as a juvenile court judge, an assistant district attorney, a solo practitioner, and as an assistant public defender during his career.

McDaniel of Moultrie has worked in private practice emphasizing domestic/family law and criminal defense, and as a senior assistant district attorney.

Lowndes Certified Results

Lowndes County Board of Elections filed certified voting results Friday evening. These results did not seem to change any of the elections considered decided Tuesday night. Scott Orenstein won Lowndes County Commission District 2, and with no Democratic opposition will take office in January. G. Norman Bennett and Clay Griner still face one another in the July 22 runoff in the special election, non-partisan race for Lowndes County Commission Super District 5. Mike Davis win reelection to Lowndes County school board District 1. Eric Johnson win Lowndes County school board District 2.

LOWNDES COUNTY COMMISSION

DISTRICT 2

Scott “Scottie” Orenstein (Rep): 1,470

Jody Hall (Rep): 1,267

DISTRICT 3

Tom Hochschild (Dem): 316

Tally Mark Wisenbaker, Jr. (Rep): 1,507

Don Thieme (Dem) On the ballot, but withdrew from the race 139

SUPER DISTRICT 4

Demarcus A. Marshall (Dem) (Incumbent) unopposed: 1,159

SUPER DISTRICT 5 SPECIAL ELECTION — NONPARTISAN

(To fill the unexpired term of John Page)

G. Norman Bennett: 1,697

Clay Griner: 2,156

Gretchen Quarterman: 1,326

LOWNDES COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD — NONPARTISAN

DISTRICT 1

H. Michael “Mike” Davis (Incumbent): 325

Bobby Watford: 145

DISTRICT 2

Mark Barber: 234

Eric Johnson: 538

Tara Parker: 147

DISTRICT 3

Brian K. Browning (Incumbent) unopposed: 431

JUDGE OF SUPERIOR COURT, SOUTHERN JUDICIAL DISTRICT 041 — NONPARTISAN

James Edward Hardy (Incumbent) unopposed: 5,962

JUDGE OF SUPERIOR COURT, SOUTHERN JUDICIAL DISTRICT 041 —NONPARTISAN

Vernita Bender: 2,363

Jason Cain: 2,595

Brian Allen McDaniel: 2,455

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, District 174

John Corbett (Rep): 778

Jessie Smith (Dem): 172

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, District 175

Amy A. Carter (Incumbent) (Rep) unopposed: 1,709

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, District 176

James “Jason” Shaw, Jr. (Incumbent) (Rep) unopposed: 782

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 177

Dexter L. Sharper (Incumbent) (Dem) unopposed: 1,261

STATE SENATOR, District 8

C. Ellis Black (Rep): 2,328

John P. Page (Rep): 1,691

Richard David Raines (Rep): 1,272

Bikram K. Mohanty (Dem): 1,865

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE, District 1

Darwin Carter (Rep): 12

E.L. “Buddy” Carter (Rep): 44

J.L. “Jeff” Chapman (Rep): 19

Robert E. “Bob” Johnson (Rep): 51

Earl T. Martin (Rep): 14

John A. McCallum (Rep): 42

Brian Corwin Reese (Dem): 20

Marc Anthony Smith (Dem): 46

Amy L. Tavio (Dem): 36

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE, District 8

J. Austin Scott (Incumbent) (Rep) unopposed: 3,978

U.S. SENATOR

Paul Collins Broun (Rep): 339

Arthur A. “Art” Gardner (Rep): 40

J.P. “Phil” Gingrey (Rep): 80

Derrick E. Grayson (Rep): 72

Karen C. Handel (Rep): 640

J.H. “Jack” Kingston (Rep): 3,732

David Perdue (Rep): 409

O. “Steen” Miles (Dem): 224

M. Michelle Nunn (Dem): 1,421

Branko “Rad” Radulovacki (Dem):102

Todd Anthony Robinson (Dem): 458

GOVERNOR

John D. Barge (Rep): 600

J. Nathan Deal (Incumbent) (Rep): 3,589

David E. Pennington III (Rep): 1,056

Jason J. Carter (Dem): 2,078

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

L.S. “Casey” Cagle (Incumbent) (Rep): 4,447

Connie J. Stokes (Dem): 1,925

SECRETARY OF STATE

Gerald B. Beckum (Dem): 610

Doreen Carter (Dem): 1,473

Brian P. Kemp (Incumbent) (Rep): 4,353

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Gregory K “Greg” Hecht (Dem): 1,903

Samuel S. Olens (Incumbent) (Rep): 4,161

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE

Gary W. Black (Incumbent) (Rep): 4,266

Christopher James Irvin (Dem): 1,931

COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE

Keith G. Heard (Dem): 496

Elizabeth N. “Liz” Johnson (Dem): 1,602

Ralph T. Hudgens (Incumbent) (Rep): 3,986

STATE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT

Mary Kay Bacallao (Rep): 382

Ashley D. Bell (Rep): 525

Michael L. “Mike” Buck (Rep): 733

Sharyl L. Dawes (Rep): 209

Allen Bowles Fort (Rep): 494

Nancy T. Jester (Rep): 459

T. Fitz Johnson (Rep): 205

Kira G. Willis (Rep): 96

Richard L. Woods (Rep): 989

Tarnisha L. Dent (Dem): 324

Marion Spencer “Denise” Freeman (Dem): 363

Jurita Forehand Mays (Dem): 70

Alisha Thomas Morgan (Dem): 538

R. “Rita” Robinzine (Dem): 81

Valarie D. Wilson (Dem): 770

COMMISSIONER OF LABOR

J. Mark Butler (Incumbent) (Rep): 4,089

Robbin K. Shipp (Dem): 1,863

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER

Herman D. “Doug” Everett (Incumbent) (Rep) unopposed: 3,997

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER

Daniel A. Blackman (Dem): 1,876

Douglas T. Kidd (Rep): 871

Charles C. “Craig” Luntz (Rep): 641

Lauren W. “Bubba” McDonald (Incumbent) (Rep): 3,006