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TOP JOBS

By MALENA OGLES
Staff Writer

Republican incumbent Frank Creath, who has held the office of Smith County Precinct 2 Constable for 12 years, defeated challenger Todd Thoene on Tuesday, complete but unofficial results show.

Voters cast 7,709 ballots and Creath received 4,361 votes, 56.6 percent of the vote during the Republican primary.

Thoene, an investigator with the Smith County District Attorney's office received 3,348 votes with 43.3 percent of the vote.

Thoene, 35, has 16 years of law enforcement experience, and began his career as a Smith County Sheriff's Department patrol deputy and spent more than two years as a patrol officer with the Bullard Police Department.

Precinct 2 is in the southern part of the county and includes Noonday.

Creath, 66, said he felt great about the results.

"When you give the citizens all the facts and a reason to vote for you, they always make the right choice," he said. "I'm just glad they chose us."

As constable, Creath said he plans to continue fulfilling promises he made to the public when he was first elected Smith County Precinct 2 Constable in 1997.

"We want to continue just as we've been doing," he said.

One of his original promises was to make deputies more visible and accessible, which Creath said is a promise he has seen through.

Since he took the office in 1997, Creath has increased the precinct's number of paid deputies and their number of arrests, including multiple methamphetamine lab busts.

A certified peace officer, Creath has worked in law enforcement since 1971, and was previously a reserve officer for the Tyler Police Department.

In early 2007, Creath was diagnosed with cancer, but said he continued to come to the office when he had a chance.

"The recovery started about the same time as the election campaign, but I guess we managed to pull out on top with both of them," he said.

Creath has been married to his wife for 45 years. They have one daughter, a son and five grandchildren.