The May 24 primary vote solidified the local Superior Court panel but left a couple of Augusta commission seats open for a runoff.
Richmond County Superior Court Judge Ashley Wright, the incumbent, sailed to a landslide victory over her opponent, Laverne Lewis Gaskins, with 73.38% of the vote. Meanwhile, Wright’s incumbent colleague on the bench, Jesse Stone barely slid by to maintain his seat with a slight 53.59% victory
Interim Commissioner Alvin Mason received 57% of the District 4 commission vote, handily defeating his challenger Betty C. Reece. Mason will now go on to his third term as an elected city commissioner making him the second commissioner along with Marion Williams to have that distinction since consolidation. Mason was appointed in 2021 to finish out the term of Sammy Sais, as the former commissioner was sidelined by Governor Brian Kemp after being indicted on federal felony charges.
Tony Lewis edged out competitors Jeremy Johnson and Mario D. Taylor Sr. to win the District 6 commission seat with 51.3% of the vote.
Neither incumbent John Clarke nor former commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle managed an outright win in the District 10 commission race. The final tally was Clarke at a solid 49% and Guilfoyle with 32%. Robert Cooks split the vote between the two frontrunners with 19% of the vote.
Stacy Pulliam and Von Pouncey will return in November for a rematch for Commission District 2 having received 49% to 13% respectively in a crowded field of six candidates. The most colorful character in the race, local political activist LeRoy “Ray Montana” Crews only garnered around 6% of the total vote.
Scott Hudson is the senior reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
