Incumbent Precinct 2 County Commissioner Clara Beckett easily fended off the only challenger to her third term in office, winning the Republican primary with 71 percent of the vote.

“I am truly humbled to be able to continue to represent Precinct 2 and Bastrop County,” said Beckett. “And I really appreciate and respect my opponent for running a clean race – that’s what Bastrop County is all about.”

With no Democratic candidate in the field to face in the November general election, it’s a safe bet that she will be on her way to another term in office.

County commissioner was the hot local race for citizens of Smithville and the surrounding area in Precinct 2, as few other races in the county drew challengers during the primary.

The county’s most contested race was over in Precinct 1, which covers the Bastrop area. There was a hotly contested race for both Republicans and Democrats vying for the Justice of the Peace position.

Incumbent Bill Weddle was able to fend off a challenge from Dickie Henderson, easily winning with 502 of the 823 ballots cast, or 61 percent.

“I was very pleased with the results,” Weddle said. “I tried to take the high road but I felt like my opponent ran a negative campaign and I feel like it backfired on him.”

In the Republican primary for JP of Precinct 1, four names on the ballot was reduced to three true candidates after Sue Ann Fruge withdrew from the race.

Donna Van Gilder was able to avoid a runoff, winning 55 percent of the vote compared to 21 percent for Vann Pressley and 18 JW Snell (Fruge received 6 percent.).

“This is just too awesome,” said Van Gilder. “I am so thankful to my friends, family, husband and the voters for their support”

That sets up a showdown between Weddle and Van Gilder in the November general election.

Over in the Elgin area, Democratic incumbent Lee Dildy was successfully able to ward off a strong challenge by Michael Flowers for his party’s nomination for county commissioner of Precinct 4, winning with 53 percent of the vote.

In the November general election, Dildy will face Rocky Palmquist, who beat Ron Jay for the Republican nomination by 36 votes, 442 to 406.

It was an extremely unusual election for Bastrop County in that more Republicans than Democrats turned out. All told, Republican voters outnumbered Democrats 2 to 1.

In Bastrop County, Rick Perry was chosen as the top choice of Republicans for governor with 45 percent. Debra Medina received 31 percent of the county’s vote and Kay Bailey Hutchison garnered 24 percent.

For the Democratic party, Bill White was the overwhelming favorite for governor, with 87 percent of the vote.

Voting, though light, was high for a midterm election, with 8,735 votes cast for a total voter turnout of 22 percent.