BY EARNEST WINSTON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
WILLIAMSTOWN -- Magistrate Darrell L. Link strolled to an easy victory as the Democratic nominee for Grant County judge-executive, beating four other candidates.
The final unofficial results show Mr. Link receiving 1,202 votes, outpacing his closest opponent by nearly 2-to-1.
"We are just humbled at this point, because so many people have put their trust in us," Mr. Link said at a private celebration with family and friends at The Country Grill in Dry Ridge.
Mr. Link, 44, of Crittenden, said he was motivated by two things: a desire to serve the citizens of Grant County and a need for more Christians to serve as role models.
He will face Republican Les Taylor, a 68-yar-old Air Force retiree from Mason in the November general election.
Mr. Link, a manager at AT&T in Cincinnati, said his priorities include finding an additional water source, improving and widening county roads, and bringing more educational opportunities into the county.
Ousted Williamstown Mayor Robert Jones, one of the five candidates in the Democratic primary race for judge-executive, came in fourth with 580 votes.
Incumbent Judge-executive Shirley Howard did not run.
The races for the Democratic nomination for the three magistrate seats were closely contested.
Here are the final results:
Richard L. Austin, 53, of Williamstown, District 1. (Ted Tackacy of Williamstown is the Republican candidate.)
Patricia Ann Conrad, 48, of Dry Ridge, District 2. (Wayne Browning of Dry Ridge is the Republican candidate.)
Howard Brewer Jr., 62, of Dry Ridge, District 3. (Kenny L. Messer of Grant County is the Republican candidate.)
Also, incumbent Gary L. Jump, 54, of Williamstown, beat Williamstown Police Chief Ronnie West in the primary for county jailer, 2,051 votes to 1,125.
There is no Republican candidate, so Mr. Jump is elected.
