Jett unsets Sharp in Senate race
Marlon Miller unseated incumbent Troy Evans in the race for Lincoln County Commissioner District 2 Tuesday, getting just over 68 percent of the vote in the Republican runoff.
Miller had 694 votes to 325 for Evans.
Miller carried five of the seven precincts in the district, which is in eastern Lincoln County, and built an overwhelming 364-72 margin in precincts 10 and 11.
Also, former state representative Shane Jett apparently beat incumbent state Senator Ron Sharp in the Republican runoff for Senate District 17. Jett was ahead by 59 percent to 41 percent with only 10 percent of the vote uncounted.
If the lead holds, Jett would face Libertarian Greg Sadler in the November general election. Regardless of who wins then, Central Oklahoma would have two new senators in the Legislature.
State Rep. Zack Taylor was elected to fill the unexpired term of former Sen. Jason Smalley of Stroud. “It looks like Jett is going to win, and I congratulate
him,” Sharp said by phone Tuesday night. “At least, $500,000 in negative campaign were against me. “This took a major burden off me.
“I didn’t quit. I don’t quit at anything, but the people have spoken.
“I did my best.”
The Senate race was hotly contested from the start with “dark money” groups sending out mailers that compared Sharp to Dracula, among other things.
Sharp countered with mailings of his own about Jett’s record in the Legislature.
Jett led in the primary election, getting 4,577 votes to 3,453 to Sharp and 2,331 to Brandon Baumgarten.