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Claiborne Countians got out and voted in big numbers this election as 13,603 of the county’s 21,600 registered voters cast ballots. The county joined in the red wave that swept the country and re-elected former president Donald Trump.

Trump was the overwhelming choice of Claiborne voters as he received 11,462 votes to Kamala Harris’ 1,971.

The local sales tax referendum that would have added  0.30 percent to sales tax in Claiborne County was also handily defeated. No received 11,246 votes to 1,492 votes for Yes.

In the most tightly contested local race,  Stanley Leonard was elected as the Mayor of New Tazewell with 461 votes. Carl Nichols received 334 votes and Joe Johnson 201. Jerry Beeler was elected as the Alderman for Ward 3 in New Tazewell with 652 votes to Alex Sorke Jr.’s 310 votes. Jeffrey M. Lewis was unopposed in Ward 1 and received 844 votes while Franklin Essary was unopposed in Ward 2 and received 854 votes.

In the City of Tazewell, Mayor Bill Fannon was unopposed and received 624 votes. Ward 1 Alderman Don Smith was unopposed and received 577 votes. No candidate filed for Ward 2 and Jo Ann Bunch was unopposed in Ward 3 and received 556 votes.

Cumberland Gap Mayor Neal Pucciarelli was unopposed and received 74 votes. Three Aldermen seats were up and were won by Kathy B. Maxwell with 63 votes, Teresa Fuson with 60 and Camille Hall with 48. Carson Ben receive4d 35 votes.

In the City of Harrogate, East Ward Alderman Kenneth West was unopposed and received 1,067 votes, Adam C. Wilson was unopposed in the West Ward and received 284 votes, and Letha Peters was unopposed for the unexpired term in the West Ward and received 264 votes.

Republican U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn easily defeated Democrat challenger Gloria Johnson with over 1.9 million votes statewide to just over 1 million. In Claiborne County, Blackburn received 10,884 votes to Johnson’s 2,118.

Republican U.S. Congressman Tim Burchett defeated challenger Jane George 250,002 to 111,094 with Claiborne County giving Burchett 11,431 votes and George 1,804.

New Tazewell’s own Jessie Seal won the District 8 Senate seat with 74,557 votes to Democrat R.E. Ellison’s 14,682. In Claiborne County Seal won by a 10,993 to 1,923 margin.

In the Tennessee House of Representatives races, Republicans Gary Wicks Jr. in District 9 and Dennis Powers in District 36 were unopposed. Wicks received 6,549 votes in Claiborne and Powers received 4,435.