ATLANTA – Georgians who returned to the polls in several races that required runoffs because no candidate won more than half the vote in the May 24 primaries were hard of incumbents.

The last World War II veteran serving in the Georgia Legislature, Rep. John Yates, lost to a GOP challenger for a Griffin, Georgia.. So did Republican state Rep. Tom Dickson, a Dalton GOPer who fell to a conservative rival. And long-serving Democratic state Rep. Darryl Jordan of Riverdale was given the boot.

The misery for incumbents extended to another office-holder, state Sen. Mike Crane, who was soundly defeated by former West Point Mayor Drew Ferguson in the race for a U.S. House seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Lynn Westmoreland.

All but a handful of incumbents secured their seats during the Georgia primary two months ago, including one candidate facing a DUI charge and another who praised the Ku Klux Klan. Tuesday’s contests were low-turnout affairs dominated by candidates who could convince the same voters who backed them in May to turn out again.

In Southeast Georgia, the only runoff races were in Brantley, Camden and Glynn counties.

Glynn County

Superior Court (Republican): Ronald Adams 54%, Samuel Tostensen 46%

Coroner (Republican): Jo Chapman 45%, Mark Neu 55%

Commissioner District 2 (Republican): J. Peter Murphy 59%, Dale Provenzano 41%



Camden County

Board of Education District 5: Mark Giddens 59%, Ronnie Wise 42%



Brantley County

Sheriff (Republican): Len Davis 61%, Robert Thomas 39%

Coroner (Republican): Wyatt Blount 53%, Richard Rowell 47%

Commission Post 3 (Republican): Randy Davison 71%, Michael Edgy 29%



The Georgia Secretary of State's office said about 20 percent of registered voters turned out for the primary two months ago.