Incumbents Didn't Do Well In Marion County's Excluded Cities And Towns

INDIANAPOLIS – Tuesday night was a mixed bag for incumbent mayors in three of Marion County’s excluded cities and towns.

Beech Grove Mayor Dennis Buckley was the only one to win re-election. The Democrat, and former Beech Grove fire chief, got 61 percent of the 3,091 votes cast. His challenger, Republican Edward McDonald, got 39 percent.

In Lawrence, incumbent Democrat Dean Jessup was knocked out of office by Republican Steve Collier, who won 55 percent of the 8,366 votes. Lawrence has a history of voting mayors out of office. An incumbent hasn’t won re-election there in nearly two decades.

Southport voters picked a new mayor as well. Russell McClure, running as an Independent, defeated incumbent Republican Vernon Jesse Testruth, collecting 191 of the 369 votes cast.

Speedway, the fourth excluded city, has a town manager instead of an elected mayor. Republican Monty Combs ran unopposed for clerk-treasurer.