BREAKING: Locke wins Spring City mayoral race

RHEA COUNTY — Leon Locke is the next mayor of Spring City after defeating incumbent mayor Woody Evans and challenger Reed Smith in Thursday’s municipal election.

Locke received 139 votes, while Evans received 56 and Smith received 131.

There were only two candidates vying for two seats on the Spring City Commission, and Thomas Beaver and Kevin W. Jenkins won those seats, with Beaver receiving 191 votes and Jenkins receiving 231 votes.

In the state Republican primary, incumbent State Rep. Ron Travis received 1,431 votes in Rhea County, while challenger Richard W. Smith received 426 votes in Rhea County.

All candidates in the county general election ran unopposed, and Rhea County Assessor of Property Debbie Byrd received 1,874 votes. Interim Rhea County Road Supervisor Rick Wilkey received 1,937 votes. Rhea County School Board District 2 Member B.J. McCoy received 354 votes, Rhea County School Board District 4 Member Bimbo McCawley received 159 votes, Rhea County School Board District 6 Member Wayne Cox received 98 votes and Rhea County School Board District 8 Member Chip Pendergrass received 248 votes.

In the state Republican primary, incumbent U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn received 1,672 votes in Rhea County, while challenger Tres Wittum received 184 votes. In the U.S. House Republican primary, incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais received 1,348 votes in Rhea County, while challenger Thomas Davis received 315 and fellow challenger Joshua James received 143.

In the state Democratic primary, in Rhea County, Marquita Bradshaw received 38 votes, Lola Denise Brown received 22, Gloria Johnson received 141 and Civil Miller-Watkin received 11 votes.

Also on the Democratic primary, in Rhea County, in the race for the U.S. House, Victoria Isabel Broderick received 187 votes, and in the race for the state House, Brittany Lynn Warfel received 184 votes.

All election results are unofficial until certified by the Rhea County Election Commission Thursday, Aug. 15, at 3:30 p.m. at the election commission offices in the historic Rhea County Courthouse.