NEW FACES: Barksdale, Townsend win commission seats

Published 10:17 pm Tuesday, November 3, 2020

After months of campaigning, the votes are finally in, and unofficial results Tuesday night show Republican Danny Barksdale and independent candidate LaDon Townsend winning their races for the District 2 and District 4 seats on the Limestone County Commission.

Barksdale defeated Democratic candidate Roger Williams 10,180 to 4,309, while Townsend topped Republican incumbent Ben Harrison 4,640 to 4,014. Harrison was first elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2016.

These results are considered unofficial until any provisional ballots are added, and the results are certified. According to Probate Judge Charles Woodroof, there are 623 provisional ballots, which is not enough to affect either outcome. There were 20,584 straight Republican party votes.

District 4

Townsend said this is his first time running for public office.

“It feels great,” he said. “I think this is a huge accomplishment for Limestone County, with them letting their voices be heard. (The Republican Party) removed me from the ballot, and a lot of people were upset. I believe they wanted a chance to get the opportunity to vote for me, and tonight, they spoke out. They let their voice be heard, and I think they want a change.”

Townsend spent Tuesday night at the Limestone Sheriff’s Rodeo Arena, waiting for results to come in with his family and several supporters. He said the wait between the polls closing and finding out who won the race was the “hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, out of everything.”

“Everything else was easy compared to this,” he said. “This (race) was tough. I’m glad it’s over, and I’m ready to go to work.”

Once he takes office, Townsend said the biggest things he wants to be is a “voice for the people.”

“I want to be a person who will listen,” he said. “When people have concerns or complaints, I will be there to listen to them. I want to try to get in there and do what I can do to help them, and if I can’t help them, I’ll tell them.”

Townsend said he wants to get along with all the county commissioners and work with them.

“I want to try and figure out ways to benefit Limestone County,” he said. “We are sitting on a gold mine with everything coming in, and we need to get everything we can for Limestone County.”

District 2

Barksdale said in a statement after the unofficial results were announced that he is “thankful, grateful and humbled for the opportunity to represent the good people of District 2.”

“It takes a lot of people to run a successful political campaign,” he said. “It takes a supportive family, friends and professional advice. We won because we had the best of all three. I can’t say enough about my family’s help and the encouragement and financial help from both longtime friends and new friends.”

Barksdale also spoke highly of the professional help he received from John Wahl, the vice chairman of the state Republican party, saying Wahl “never ceases to amaze.”

“His advice and counsel was invaluable,” Barksdale said. “Here is a man who worked on President (Donald) Trump’s presidential campaign, Tommy Tuberville’s senate campaign and two local campaigns. There may be others of which I am unaware. If the state Republican committee had a Most Valuable Player award, it should go to him. Coach Tuberville probably has a game ball for him.”

As part of his statement, Barksdale said he thought his opponent, Williams, did a good job representing the Democratic party in the race.

“Competition makes us all better, and I was pleased the Democrats ran a candidate,” Barksdale said. “Limestone County will face several challenges in the next four years, and I look forward to facing them in a thoughtful, deliberate manner.”