The Anniston Star from Anniston, Alabama • Page 2

Page The Annlston Wednesday, Nov. 1986 Tho Voting around the region anship Bradley wins eommissioinL chairm. 1 I' ifrfl JVic tor. fa ces federal co urL figh to keep his position and out-polled Rogers sometimes as municipalities. Regardless of the appeal, both and Rogers already have -qualified for district commission races.

Bradley said Tuesday that he would go ahead with his campaign for the District 2 seat. Rogers said he would begin campaigning today in District 4 BRADLEY FAcTsS incumbent Associate Commissioner Charlie Fuller, Ray Bennett and Dennis Smith in the Nov. 18 Democratic primary. On Tuesday, Bradley lost three of the four largest boxes in District 2 Annlston First Presby-, terian Church, Golden Springs Community Center and the Calhoun-Cleburne Mental Health Center. Though Bradley could still draw on much of the Oxford support he found Tuesday, he would lose the strong support he received from west An-niston and Piedmont in the district race.

Rogers won five of the eight District 4 boxes. He had especially strong showings in the' district's three largest boxes Saks High School, Alexandria Fire Station and Weaver First United Methodist Church. Rogers has qualified as a Republican and will face the Demo-, cratic nominee on Dec. 30. "I'll be talking a lot more about myself and my plans," Rogers said of his district campaign.

"I Just think maybe I didn't do enough of that this time around "It's disheartening. After 10 months of campaigning, I'm going to have to turn around and start all over again." Despite the long chairman's election which ended on a sour note with negative newspaper advertisements, Rogers said he expected to be able to work with Bradley if both men serve on -the next commission. He added, however, "I can't say how productive our relationship is going to be." much as 20 to 1. 1 Ironically, U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson struck down Calhoun County's at-large chairman because he said the position diluted black political Strength.

On Tuesday, however, the black vote ap- parently decided the outcome of the chairman's race. At Carver Community Center, Bradley received 1,230 votes to Rogers' 63. At Hobson City Hall, Bradley received 255 to Rogers' 11; at Wilmer Fire Station, Bradley received 431 votes to Rogers' 58. At Old Thankful School, Bradley received 343 to Rogers' 32 "It's kind of a Bradley said of the influence of the black vote on Tuesday and Thompson's ruling. "It shows that the black community has strength in numbers." Rogers was much more emphatic about Calhoun County's black political strength.

"The black vote destroyed me," Rogers said. "It's frustrating for me to know I did so well throughout the county and then one bloc vote destroyed me." Along with doing away with the at-large chairman, Thompson approved the county's plan for. five district commissioners. He ordered the chairmanship to be rotated among the five district commissioners. PRIMARIES FOR the five district commission seats will be held Nov.

18, with any runoff on Dec. 9 By MURPHY EVANS Star Staff Writer Now that Leon Bradley has convinced a majority of the county's1 voters that he should be (he next of the Calhoun County Commission, he must now fight to convince the federal courts that his newly-won position should not be abolished In the wake of a convincing win over Republican Mike Rogers on Tuesday, Bradley began this morning working for an appeal of the recent federal court order which did away with the commission's at-large chairman. Shortly after unofficial returns -showed he had won roughly 55 percent of the vote, Bradley said that he would meet with an attorney and consider joining in the county's redistricting lawsuit. Unless the court order is overturned on appeal, Bradley 'Will never take office. Despite the legal obstacles which remain and the possibility that his victory will be meaningless, Bradley was enthusiastic about his win Tuesday.

"I'm just super-happy," Bradley said. "I really didn't know what to expect with the governor's race being such a calamity. It goes to show that people can split their ticket." BRADLEY WON with overwhelming support from Piedmont and a 'very strong showing in Oxford. Perhaps his margin of victory, however, came from the pre-, dominately black boxes in west An-niston and Hobson City. There, Bradley received endorsements' from the black political leadership Ik 1 I Stor Photo By Doniol Clioroy Mr.

and Mrs. Leon Bradley andchildren, Will and Janna, are all smiles If the at-large chairman is reinstated, Bradley said he would have to establish a consensus with the five district commissioners. He said one of his main goals would be to establish a better working relationship between county government and Calhoun County's various The County Commission is scheduled to decide next Tuesday whether to appeal the abolishment of the at-large chairman to the Uth Circuit Court of Appeals. Attorneys for the county have estimated that an appeal would likely take between six and 12 months. Rogers said, "This will probably be the last time that the black voters in the county will have this much impact on county government After tonight, four out of five or four out of six of the commissioners are not going to care about the black vote." and the general election on Dec.

30. The new district commissioners will take office Jan. 1. 15 Black voters heljy elect Warren district judge After his victory celebration Tuesday night, Warren immediately hit the road to begin five hours of pulling up campaig i countywide. Owens, but their numbers were not great enough to swing the vote for the incumbent.

Owens' loss of black support Tuesday was summed up by voter Roger Thomas who said as he left the poll. "I just hit the Democratic JZ' If: By JOHN RONNER Star Staff Writer A majority of Calhoun County's black voters abandoned the county's only black elected official to help Assistant District Attorney Larry Warren win a district court judgeship Tuesday. Warren, a white Democrat, Won the endorsement of the county's major black political organizations, and outpolled Republican Judge Nathaniel Owens at all pf the county's predominantly black voting places. Unofficial vote totals show Warren receiving 14,565 votes to 11,767 for Owens, who was elected as a Democrat but switched parties last year. That amounted to a comfortable 55 to 45 percent victory for Warren, who swept 41 of the coun ty's 48 precincts.

"I believe he (Owens) got the straight Republican vote, but he hurt himself by switching parties," Warren said Tuesday night. Owens, who said he had expected a close race, acknowledged that the black voter defections hurt his campaign. He added that the Republican label is still "a difficult thing in the minds of a lot of people because it is different." WARREN TOOK the predominantly black Hobson City Hall -box 3 to 2 and won Carver Community Center 854 to 587. By contrast, many white suburbanites rallied to charge Warren denied. This time around.

Warren and Owens have been hard at work campaigning quietly door to door. In fact, Warren said one key to his victory was a methodical tour of households in recent weeks by himself, his family and friends. WARREN SAID that when he assumes the district court bench in January, he will not necessarily take over Owens' civil case duties. Warren said Presiding Circuit Judge Malcolm Street Jr. is considering the possibility of beginning a rotation of criminal, family and civil case duties among the circuit's three district judges.

After his victory celebration Tuesday night. Warren immediately hit the road to begin five hours of7 pulling up campaign signs countywide. Owens was a local assistant district attorney before former Gov. Fob James appointed him to his district court judgship in He was elected the next year, becoming the first black ever to hold a countywide office in Calhoun County. Owens ran unsuccessfully against Sam Monk in 1982 for a circuit court judgeship.

Warren served for four years as an assistant district attorney here before defeating Norton and Aiu niston attorney John Thomason in the Democratic primary. lever and that did it all." Thomas said he would have voted for if he had been on the mrT Z. A. Democratic slate. Black voters who said they had cast ballots for Warren told the Star that Owens' switch to the GOP was their main reason for backing Warren.

Owens beat Warren in such white surburban areas as Golden Springs and Saks, where he got two of his largest margins over Warren. The fall campaign had none of the public controversy of Warren's May Democratic, runoff campaign against Anniston attorney John Norton. That race was punctuated by Norton's accusation that Warren had his honesty, a Star Photo By Daniel Cllbrey Larry-Warren gets congratulatory hug from his mother Lou District 34 Willis returning to Legislature By PAMELA GRUNDY Star Staff Writer Looking ahead to his second term in the state House of Representatives, District 34 Rep. Gerald Willis said his top priority will be to One of Willis' top priorities will be getting on good committees although he would not specify in which committees he was particularly interested. He will also work on the issues he mentioned throughout his campaign, including more jobs, betf'er education and the fight against drugs, he said.

"I feel like our job probably will be tougher than ever," he said. ient. Democrat Will is. won handily over -Reptiblican A Shelton follow- thought that the state's difficult fiscal situation would mean more study and more work for those who have to deal with the problems. "I feel like our job probably will be tougher" than ever," he said.

WILLIS, WHO had been campaigning for the seat since April, said that it was the' longest campaign for local office he had ever run. His political history includes several local campaigns, including a successful, county commission-race, and a run for president. "I was vejy happy to see this day come." he said. Shelton said thanked his friends and supporters. rpf Mr verybody did more, than was nga campaign which in its final weeks heated up with criticisms and accusations.

"I'm just very thankful to the people of District 34," Willis said Tuesday night. Willis won every box in the hard-fought race, garnering 6,191 votes to Shelton's 3,218. The closest box was at the Jacksonville Recreation Center, which Willis took 536 to 470. The widest margin was at he Piedmont City Hall, where Willis won 493 to 85. Willis, a candidate for the U.S.

presidency in 1984. attributed his victory to the opinion voters had of his previous term in Montgomery. "I feel that people evaluated my-ability to serve the last time." he said. he CUI.J LI II. I 1 1 IU UIU lb 1 said.

IMPROVING THE statewide image of the Legislature will be one of his top priorities on his return to Montgomery, he. said. Earlier, he Jiad a national study showed Alabamians with the lowest opinion of their state government in the nation. State government has to improve, Willis said. "I think the quality of government is interwoven with the quality of life here in Alabama." he said.

Another top priority will be getting on good committees. Willis said, although he would not specify in which, committees he was particularly fnrarested. He will on the issues he mentioned throughout his campajgJneluding more jobs, better education and the fight against drugs, he said. Having a Republican governor will probablyJoK state legislators to work more efficiently in setting their priorities and presenting their programs, he said: think we'll want to work together better as a group." he said. At the same time, he said, he Shelton.

for whom this was the first political venture, said he did not know whether he would run for office in the future. But he called the campaign a learning experience, and said that if he ran for anything again he would put what he had learned to good use. ilr Photo ir td'itOltfe Gerald Willis with grandson, Damien A.