Posted 10:43 pm Tuesday, August 07, 2012
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Sheriff candidate won’t seek recount from July 31 runoff
By PHILLIP WILLIAMS
Special Correspondent
Special Correspondent
GILMER — Larry Webb announced Monday he will not seek a recount of his 25-vote loss to incumbent Anthony Betterton in the July 31 Republican runoff for Upshur County sheriff.
Webb had said July 31 he had not decided whether to seek another count after complete but unofficial returns showed Betterton winning a fourth term, 2,318-2,293. But Monday, Webb said, “It’s been a long campaign process for the citizens of Upshur County and all of us involved,” and, “There needs to be closure.”
“The main reason I’m not gonna do the recount is for the benefit of the citizens,” Webb said. “People are just so tired of the election stuff.”
In addition, he said, “I highly doubt that it (the vote count) would change 25 points. … To do a recount would just prolong something that would probably not change.”
He said the expense of holding one was not a factor in his decision. Webb also said voters now need “to focus on the coming election in November.”
The 43-year-old Webb further said he would continue his career as a sergeant with the Longview Police Department, and he was not upset by his narrow defeat.
“I would have been more upset if I had lost by five or six hundred votes,” he said.
Betterton has no Democratic opponent in the general election, meaning his victory in the runoff is probably tantamount to reelection. He would begin his new term Jan. 1.
Webb had said July 31 he had not decided whether to seek another count after complete but unofficial returns showed Betterton winning a fourth term, 2,318-2,293. But Monday, Webb said, “It’s been a long campaign process for the citizens of Upshur County and all of us involved,” and, “There needs to be closure.”
“The main reason I’m not gonna do the recount is for the benefit of the citizens,” Webb said. “People are just so tired of the election stuff.”
In addition, he said, “I highly doubt that it (the vote count) would change 25 points. … To do a recount would just prolong something that would probably not change.”
He said the expense of holding one was not a factor in his decision. Webb also said voters now need “to focus on the coming election in November.”
The 43-year-old Webb further said he would continue his career as a sergeant with the Longview Police Department, and he was not upset by his narrow defeat.
“I would have been more upset if I had lost by five or six hundred votes,” he said.
Betterton has no Democratic opponent in the general election, meaning his victory in the runoff is probably tantamount to reelection. He would begin his new term Jan. 1.
His 25-vote margin was by far his closest race since he ousted incumbent R.D. (Buck) Cross by the same number of votes in the 2000 Democratic primary.
Betterton, who always had run as a Democrat before this year, converted to the Republican Party in late 2009. He led Webb in the May 29 GOP primary by 488 votes (2,444-1,956) in complete, official returns, but one of the two losing candidates in that race, Donald Willeford, endorsed the sheriff in the runoff.
Betterton, who always had run as a Democrat before this year, converted to the Republican Party in late 2009. He led Webb in the May 29 GOP primary by 488 votes (2,444-1,956) in complete, official returns, but one of the two losing candidates in that race, Donald Willeford, endorsed the sheriff in the runoff.
