Incumbents holding on to leads

In Burke County, candidates have faced each other in 3 races

Wednesday, November 8, 2006

By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer

Incumbent Caldwell County Sheriff Gary Clark appeared headed to victory Tuesday night, while results in the Burke County race were inconclusive.

Caldwell County Sheriff Gary Clark, a Republican, will likely return for another four-year term after an apparent victory over challenger Terry Harris.

Results in Burke County were incomplete, but incumbent Democratic sheriff John McDevitt held a lead over challenger Richard Epley.

In Caldwell County, with 23 out of 27 precincts reporting, Clark, a Republican, led with 57 percent. Harris received 43 percent.

With 17 of 32 Burke County precincts reporting, McDevitt, a Democrat, led the race with 65 percent to Epley's 35 percent.

Clark's administration has been marked with controversy, including a 2002 vote-buying scandal led by a few renegade supporters and two current investigations by the State Board of Elections.

But, as of Tuesday night, it didn't appear to cost him the election.

Throughout the race, Clark continued to tout his tough stance on drug dealers. He said he plans to bring anti-drug programs to the county's middle and high schools.

Harris, a former Granite Falls police chief, said he would promote a community policing plan that could help deputies establish better working relationships with the community and decrease turnover in the department.

McDevitt and Epley, meanwhile, have faced each other in three consecutive races for sheriff. McDevitt first beat then-incumbent Epley in 1998.

The candidates agreed that they didn't want to repeat the past two races, marked by high campaign spending and animosity, and instead tried to focus on the issues.

Epley said he wanted to see more cooperation between law enforcement agencies and better response times by deputies, and McDevitt touted accolades his office has won for drug enforcement and asked voters to elect him on his record.


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