Summitt wins Recorder post

Wednesday, November 8, 2006

As precinct numbers started rolling in, Jeanette Summitt wasn't sure what to think.

Early on Tuesday, it appeared the Republican running for Putnam County Recorder was going to lose to Democrat Carol Fagin.

But after losing three of the first four precincts read, Summitt ran off 19 straight precinct wins en route to being elected. Summitt tallied 5,197 votes Tuesday (57 percent) while Fagin finished with 3,939 votes (43 percent).

"I thank everybody who supported me," Summitt said Tuesday after her victory. "I will not let the citizens of Putnam County down."

Summitt had served as Deputy Recorder. She replaces Marty Watts, who was elected Putnam County Clerk of the Circuit Court Tuesday.

"I love my job," Summitt said.

However, she admitted to having first-time election jitters Tuesday.

"I've had a basketball in my stomach all day," she said. "When the votes started coming in, I was numb."

Fagin said it was unfortunate that so many Democrats came up on the losing end Tuesday.

"I did the best I could possibly do," Fagin said via telephone interview Wednesday. "I could not do anymore."

Fagin did, however, say she wished Summitt all the best.

"I wish her all the luck in the world," Fagin said. "It was a tough fight."

Summitt said she had no plans for majors changes for the office, but said the state will mandate some changes regarding identity theft.

"We will move along with that," she said. "But our office runs pretty smooth."

Fagin began the evening with a seven-vote lead, but Summitt knotted up the contest. Still, after four precinct totals were read, Fagin had a 462-383 advantage.

However, Summitt then reeled off 19-straight precinct victories to take a commanding lead en route to being elected.

"The first (precinct totals), I felt pretty bad about," Summitt admitted Tuesday evening.

When all was said and done, Summitt had captured 26 of Putnam County's 29 precincts. Fagin managed precinct wins in only three.

Summitt's dominance ended with the Fourth East, as Fagin managed a 163-140 win there. However, Summitt won the final precincts that were announced.

This was Summitt's first time running for office, as she said she felt it was "nerve-racking."

The position of county recorder was the first constitutional office in county government in the state and is elected to a four-year term with a two-term limitation.

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