As Sam Cooke famously sang, “A change is gonna come.” And change for sure is coming to Sampson County very soon, as local political races for 2026 begin to heat up.
Last week, we reported that incumbent Sheriff Jimmy Thornton will be challenged in the primary by fellow Republican Tracy Jackson. Both the sheriff and his challenger received ringing endorsements and staunch criticisms on our Facebook posts, so there’s no telling how this particular race will pan out. But, no matter what happens, things will likely change on the law enforcement front.
In addition to a contest for Sampson County sheriff, local law enforcement is seeing another major change in leadership, as Clinton Police Chief Anthony Davis announced his retirement, effective this past Thursday. Davis has only been chief for five years, but his retirement came as a shock to many. Again, there were comments in support of and against Davis on our Facebook post, but that is perhaps to be expected in any public official.
Though police chief is not an elected office, it’s a fact that whoever is named the permanent chief will be leading the Clinton department for the foreseeable future. Assistant Chief Adrian Mathews is taking over the position for now, while city officials have yet to determine a long-term replacement.
Either way, a change is coming.
And outside the law enforcement realm, Clerk of Superior Court Chris Fann also announced earlier in the week that he would not be seeking re-election to the office he’s held since 2018. No candidates have yet officially expressed interest in the office, but surely they will be declaring their intentions over the next few months, with filing for elected office beginning in December.
So no matter who wins the upcoming elections, we will be seeing some new faces and new ways of doing things in the months and years ahead. It’s often said that many communities like Sampson — small, rural, agricultural towns and unincorporated areas — don’t take too kindly to change. But, like death and taxes, change is a fact of life we all must face sooner or later.
Maybe those people who think Sampson County won’t embrace change are wrong. Maybe we will surprise them with new ideas that will inherently improve life in this area. After all, many folks are still thinking and talking about the county’s strategic economic development plan that was unveiled at the end of August. That plan contains a road map for the economic future of the county, and people — elected officials and the general public alike — have generally been supportive of the plan and have embraced it.
Sampson County also has a relatively new Board of Commissioners, and a county manager that just started in July. So far, the public has embraced Allen Vann and the new commissioners for the most part, and we’re sure they’re already feeling like a part of the family.
Here, too, at The Sampson Independent, our editors started here in March, with a new content writer in July, and we’re all accepted and welcomed in this community, too.
While some may still balk at changes to the way things “have always been done,” we think there are many more who will be glad for it and realize that with change, comes many positive opportunities they may not expect.