[8/6/03]Incumbent David McDonald won a second shot at the Warren County District 1 supervisor seat Tuesday in the only locally contested party primary race for supervisor.

All five incumbent supervisors will face challenges from independent and party candidates in the Nov. 4 general election, but McDonald was alone in having a party primary opponent.

McDonald, 53, beat first-time office-seeker William Muirhead, 49, on the Republican ballot with 834 votes to 566. McDonald went on to win his first term post four years ago after winning the GOP primary over incumbent Dwight Woodward.

“I’ve still got November,” said McDonald, who also noted a low turnout on Republican ballots.

“I’m going to have to work a little harder between now and then to pick up some of those Democrat votes,” he added.

McDonald will face independents Billy Boone, 53, Michael Terry, 56, and Kenneth Downs, 38, in the general election.

Of about 9,000 ballots cast in Warren County races, about 1,500 more were in the Democratic primary where locally the largest field of candidates was vying for circuit clerk. During party primaries, voters must choose to vote either Democrat or Republican, but can cross party lines in the general election.

McDonald said he believes more people voted Democrat because of the race to replace retiring Circuit Clerk Larry Ashley.

“I think that cost me some votes, but hopefully they will vote for me in November,” he said.

Muirhead, who was seeking his first public office, said he hoped some good would come from his running for the post.

“Maybe I ignited a spark under David and he will go and do some good,” he said.

Supervisors are paid $37,343 annually and sit as the county’s governing board.

In other races for supervisor:

District 2 Supervisor Michael Mayfield, 44, took 1,213 votes in the Democratic primary and advances to face independent Tony Hart, age unavailable, in the general election.

District 3 Supervisor Charles Selmon, 43, won his third Democratic nomination with 1,249 votes and moves on to face independent Betty Barnes Jackson, 61, in November.

In the District 4 supervisor’s race, Republican Charles Stevens, who would not give his age, garnered 526 votes and will face incumbent Bill Lauderdale, 56, an independent, and other independents Carl Flanders, 33, and Reginald King, 56.

In District 5, Democrat Frank Gardner, 46, won 944 votes to advance to the general election, where he will face incumbent Richard George, 53, an independent, and independent Joe Wooley, 60.