Kilgore win’s sheriff’s race; GOP takes statehouse seats

Current Wise County/Norton Assistant Sheriff Grant Kilgore has easily won a three-person race to take over the department when Sheriff Ronnie Oakes retires at year’s end.

Kilgore, the Republican candidate, received 6,038 votes in Wise County, or nearly 79.9 percent. Democrat Jake Elkins got 947 county votes, or 12.5 percent. Independent Danny Mullins got 535 votes, or 7 percent.

In Norton, Kilgore received 493 votes. Elkins got 85 votes and Mullins got 59 votes.

In House of Delegates District 4, Abingdon attorney William “Will” Wampler III easily took the seat to be vacated by Del. Todd Pillion.

Wampler, a Republican, received a total of 11,932 votes, or 63.6 percent. Democrat Starla Kiser, a physician who lives in Coeburn and grew up in Dickenson County, got 6,807 votes, or 36.3 percent.

Wampler captured the Wise County race with 1,787 votes to 704 for Kiser. But Kiser prevailed in Dickenson County with 2,407 votes, or 50.6 percent; Wampler got 2,345 votes, or 49.3 percent.

In state Senate District 38, incumbent Republican Ben Chafin received 24,855 votes, or 63.3 percent. Independent challenger George McCall got 13.940 votes, or 35.5 percent.

In Senate District 40, Pillion easily won the seat to be vacated by the retirement of Bill Carrico.

Pillion, the Republican, got 26,685 votes, or 79.46 percent. Independent challenger Ken Heath received 6,787 votes, or 20.2 percent.