Just hours before the official certification as the Sheriff-elect for Hinds County by the Democratic Executive Committee, Tyrone Lewis reflected on the experience of running for the office against 20-year incumbent Malcolm McMillin.
“I liken this race to the biblical story of David and Goliath…you know fighting a big giant,” said Lewis. “We started this process four years ago, immediately after we lost in 2007.”
Lewis said he and his camp knew that it would be a tough race to win. “We knew going in that we had our work cut out for us, but the one thing or person that we relied on was God,” Lewis shared. “He guided us all the way, we never swayed, strayed or faltered away from that focus.”
In an election that took seven days to complete because of voting irregularities, accusations of voter tampering and intimidation and the ‘out-of-nowhere’ appearance of paper ballots, Lewis still managed to secure 18,788 votes or 50.79 percent, while McMillin received 16,702 votes or 45.15 percent. Another opponent in this race was Johnnie Bowden who received 1,500 votes or 4.06 percent.
An election mandate is that in a race that has a field of three or more candidates, a single candidate must secure 50 percent plus one vote to be declared the official winner and to avoid a runoff. The voters in Hinds County offered Lewis that opportunity.
The actual 2,086 votes that separated Lewis and McMillin have been the center of heated debate across the metro, and the primary focus of Lewis’ campaign team since Election Day. “We have had lawyers in place and members of our team in the basement of the Hinds County Courthouse since Tuesday, Aug 2,” Lewis said. “We’ve been very concerned about the integrity of this process and again we never strayed from our central focus and that is ‘what God has for us it is for us’, so we knew that if it was meant to be then it would be.”
When asked if he felt an abnormal burden by becoming the first African American Sheriff in Hinds County, Lewis said no. “I don’t care about firsts, I care about doing a good job and offering hope to those who think they are hopeless,” Lewis said. “Don’t get me wrong I’m humbled by the opportunity, and I respect all those whose shoulders I stand on, but I am ready to get in there and bridge some gaps and get to work for every citizen of Hinds County.”
Lewis is ready to gain the trust of those that are doubtful about his leadership.
“I have been reading blogs, watching the news, so I’m keenly aware that there are those folk out there that I must work hard to gain their trust,” Lewis said. “We will do that, but we will do it by continuing the work we’ve always done. Will we get everything right? No. Will we make some mistakes? Yes. But, I promise you, we will be above board, we will offer full transparency, and we will ensure that we work hard, daily for every citizen of Hinds County.”
Lewis looks to the future.
“My team and I are hopeful for a smooth transition, we will put in place a full transition team, we will fully access the talent that exists in the Sheriff’s Department now,” Lewis said. “I want to dispel the rumor mill, there will not be a mass exodus of JPD officers leaving Jackson and coming to the Sheriff’s Department, nor will everyone in the Sheriff’s office be asked to pack up and leave.”
At press time, McMillin had posted on his Facebook page the following statement: “Friends, I wanted to let you know that we have served notice to all those required by law to examine any and all materials related to the Aug. 2 Democratic Primary in Hinds County. This is not a challenge. It is simply an examination of what has happened so we can be absolutely clear on how these numbers were reached.”
With Lewis’ election as sheriff in Hinds County official, it brings to three the number of new sheriff’s that will take office in January in the tri-county area.
Rankin County voters overwhelmingly gave the Republican nomination for sheriff to Bryan Bailey who has served as undersheriff for the last seven years. Bailey, the presumed front-runner will face Democratic challenger George Brown III in the Nov. 8 General Election.
In Madison County, voters will head back to the polls Aug 23 to decide on a Republican nominee. In the Aug 2 Primary Election, no candidate received the 50 percent plus one vote required to be declared the official nominee, thus forcing a runoff between former Ridgeland Police Chief Jimmy Houston who received 36 percent of the vote and Randy Tucker a 16-year vet with the Madison County Sheriff Department, who grabbed 27 percent of the vote. The winner in this runoff election will face Democratic challenger Ted Smith in November.
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