Thornton files for reelection

CLINTON — Early afternoon Monday longtime Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton filed for reelection, seeking his sixth term. He is in his 19th year.

Thornton has continually focused on drugs in the county, and he said if he’s reelected that’s not going to change.

“When I initially ran 20 years ago, drugs was a problem,” he said. “Unfortunately today it is still a problem. I’m not going to give up, put up or shut up until we can deal with all that we possibly can. People of Sampson County truly like to see the drugs off the street.”

Thornton said that they were lucky to have as much assistance they have had from Federal law enforcement.

“It bodes well not only for me but for the people of this county,” he said.

Thornton was accompanied by his wife, Betsy of over 45 years, and his son, Brian.

His initial campaign was build around three goals: a new jail, increasing drug enforcement, and domestic violence. Thornton also mentioned that they had just signed a contract with the federal government to house Federal inmates.

“That means an additional $1.8 million potentially that we could bring in,” the sheriff said.

When asked how long he wants to keep working as sheriff, said Thornton: “It was kind of like a sickness and you take it one day a time.”

“My help is good,” he said. “And I have a good staff of employees. They know what I want. And we are all better off for that. I’ve got family here, and I was born and raised here, and certainly I want to retire here. I have no other future aspirations other than being a good sheriff of this county.”

Clinton filing open

The 2021 municipal election is actually spilling into 2022 as those municipalities containing districts — Clinton is the only Sampson town affected — will see their elections delayed as Census numbers dictated redrawing district maps.

This time around, filing was broken into two different filing periods: Municipalities in which there are no district contests filed back in July for the November election, while local election officials said the filing period for Clinton, which does have districts, will extend from Monday, Dec. 6, to Dec. 17.

In Clinton, Mayor Lew Starling will see his 10th term come to an end this year. Starling has been unopposed for mayor since first running for election to the office 20 years ago against longtime Mayor Emsley Kennedy, who held the office for close to three decades. Along with Starling’s term, those of Councilmen Daniel Ruggles (District 1), the Rev. Marcus Becton (District 3) and Darue Bryant (District 5) will be expiring this year.

According to local elections officials, Clinton’s municipal election has been pushed to coincide with the 2022 primary election in March 2022.