The incumbent David Stokes was elected to another four-year term as Escambia County Commissioner District No. 1 Tuesday, while Thad Moore Jr. will face a November election for county tax assessor.

Returns came in strong and early for Stokes, who garnered 817 votes, or 67.2 percent of the ballots cast. Jennings came in with 433 votes, or 34.6 percent.

There were nine provisional ballots cast in the race.

Stokes was unavailable for comment Tuesday night.

“I did the best I could,” Jennings said. “I think one of the biggest disappointments of losing is letting down all the people who worked so hard for you. I’d like to say thanks to all of them.

“We didn’t come close, but it is what it is,” he said.

In the tax assessor’s race, Moore overwhelmingly defeated Malcolm “Bub” Gideons of Atmore. Moore ended the night with 1,868 votes – or 82 percent of the vote.

Gideons finished with 409 votes, or 17.96 percent. There were 52 provisional ballots cast in the race.

Moore will face Republican Sarah McMillan in November.

“I’m excited to win the primary,” Moore said. “It took a lot of hard work by a lot of good friends. I especially want to thank all of my supporters. I couldn’t have done it without you.

“I appreciate my opponent running a clean race,” he said. “Bub’s done a lot of good things for the City of Atmore, and I am proud of him for that. I’m thankful for my wife and children for putting up with me during this election. We’re only half way there. We have another one in November.”

Gideons said, “We gave it our best shot. I love Escambia County, and I will continue to work to make it the best it can be.”