Lane Clinches District 7 Laurens County Council Seat in Landslide Runoff Victory
Laurens County, SC – In an impressive display of public support, newcomer Justin Lane of Joanna swept to victory in Tuesday’s Republican Primary runoff, defeating incumbent David Tribble to clinch the representative seat for District 7 on the Laurens County Council.
Claiming 67% (721) of the total 1076 votes, Lane comfortably outperformed Tribble who managed to gather only 355 votes. With the GOP nomination under his belt, Lane will now run unopposed in the General Election.
An Unexpected Landslide
“I’m definitely surprised by this margin,” said Lane in a statement issued on Tuesday night. “I’m not as surprised by the victory since I put in the work. I’ve knocked on countless doors and had countless conversations – meaningful ones at that – and I’m just eager to serve my district.”
Lane carried four out of the six precincts that constitute District 7, emerging victorious in Clinton 3 with a significant 228-86 margin, and in Joanna with an even larger 267-30 margin. Tribble, who previously served as the mayor of Clinton and County Council chairman, managed to gain the upper hand only in Clinton and Clinton Mill, scoring 181-130 and 2-0 respectively.
Reform is on the Horizon
One of the crucial issues that have been high on the agenda in the District 7 campaign was the county EMS coverage in Joanna and other surrounding rural areas. Lane emphasized that improving this coverage will be a priority of his tenure when he officially assumes office in November.
“When I noticed the immediate needs of my community, that’s what really got me into (running for office),” Lane conveyed. Lane is affiliated with the conservative Americans for Prosperity organization.
Youth in Power
Joining Lane in an evolving county council roster is fellow youth representative Matthew Brownlee, 23, who won the seat for District 2. The former holder of the seat, Luke Rankin, is now representing GOP for the coveted S.C. House of Representatives District 14 seat.
The GOP nominations, including Lane’s victory, are scheduled to be formally certified by the South Carolina Board of Elections later this week. An announcement is eagerly anticipated by constituents who backed these new faces for their promise of change and dedication to serving their districts.
