CENTRE — There were few bright spots for Democrats, either in Alabama or across the nation, Tuesday night.

Republicans, in what many political pundits have judged as the voters’ repudiation of the policies of President Barack Obama, swept into office in droves. The GOP will control the governor’s mansion, both chambers of the Alabama Legislature, and the state Supreme Court for the first time since the Civil War.

For the most part, those sentiments trickled all the way down to Cherokee County. In contested local races, only longtime state Rep. Richard Lindsey was victorious. He soundly defeated Republican newcomer Tim Sprayberry with over 64 percent of the vote. Overall in District 39, which includes Cherokee and DeKalb counties, Lindsey won by a margin of 57 percent to 43 percent.

In a surprise to some, longtime Dist. 10 state Sen. Larry Means, D-Attalla, lost to Republican Phil Williams. Means’ campaign became an uphill struggle following his indictment in October for allegedly taking part in a bribery scheme involving Milton McGregor, Montgomery lobbyists, and electronic bingo.

Democratic candidates who won without opposition in Cherokee County included county commissioners Kimball Parker and Carlton Teague, Board of Education candidates Mark Gossett and Lynn Rochester, coroner Broderick Smith, and Sheriff Jeff Shaver.

Democrats Mike O’Dell and Jeremy Taylor also won their respective races for district attorney and circuit judge in the 9^th Judicial Circuit, which includes Cherokee County. Both were unopposed. 

Tuscaloosa’s Robert Bentley easily won the race for governor over Democrat Ron Sparks, with over 58 percent of 1.3 million votes cast. In Cherokee County, Bentley outpolled Sparks 4,313 to 2,900 (60 percent). 

Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom Jr. was a surprise loser Tuesday, as well. Republican Kay Ivey narrowly defeated Folsom in Cherokee County (51 percent to 49 percent), but pulled away statewide to win by over 60,000 votes. 

Incumbent U.S. Congressman Mike Rogers secured another two-year trip to the nation’s capital. First elected in 2002, the Saks native held off Democratic challenger Steve Segrest by a margin of 58 percent to 42 percent across Alabama’s Third District. Locally, Rogers’ win was even more impressive, 5,123 (72 percent) to 2,006 (28 percent) – the widest winning margin by any opposed candidate on the ballot in Cherokee County. 

Former Democrat Gerald Dial, running for state Senate as a Republican, outpolled Greg Varner in the southeastern corner of the county that falls into Dist. 13. Dial’s margin was almost 200 votes out of almost 1,300 cast. Across the entire district, Dial won with almost 52 percent of 31,707 votes. 

Editor’s Note: Please check back later today for more vote totals.