Tim Gabrielson emerged the winner in Tuesday’s Mower County Commissioner District No. 1 race.

Ray Tucker, incumbent District No. 2 county commissioner, withheld a Sarah Douty challenge to win his fourth term.

Gabrielson defeated Dan Vermilyea 2,383 to 1,278 in Tuesday’s election.

That gave him a 64 to 34 percent margin, according to unofficial results.

Tucker won re-election with a 2,067 to 1,877 win over Douty.

According to unofficial results, that was a 52 to 47 percent margin.

“I was optimistic going into this election that I could win,” said Gabrielson. “I talked to hundreds of people who said they wanted the Mower County Jail and Justice Center project done and wanted it done within budget.”

Gabrielson had help from his father, Arnie, who canvassed the district for his son.

“I want to thank all my supporters, including my dad for their help,” he said.

Vermilyea congratulated Gabrielson on his victory. “We both worked hard in this campaign,” Vermilyea said.

Gabrielson and Vermilyea campaigned for the county board seat held by Richard P. Cummings, who is retiring from public service at the end of the current term in December.

Cummings endorsed neither Gabrielson or Vermilyea.

The latter said, “The folks in District No. 1 spoke.”

According to Vermilyea, they want the county board to “build the jail and justice center and move on.”

He said his unsuccessful debut in elective office politics “hurt and was disappointing.”

District No. 2

In winning his fourth four-year term, Tucker said the Mower County Jail and Justice Center project was the most oft-repeated issue on voters’ minds.

“They were saying ‘Let’s get on with it’,” Tucker said. “They want the county board to get the project done.”

Tucker also said his “record” helped win re-election for him and that shows validation of his actions as a commissioner.

He also praised Douty for a hard-fought campaign. “She did a good job. We had a good debate of the issues,” Tucker said.

Douty said, “I think I showed that a non-typical candidate can do well in a county election.”

A resident of Adams Township, Douty is a housewife and homemaker, who works as the coordinator for the Austin Main Street Project.

“I knocked on as many doors as I could in the Second District and the number one issue on people’s minds was the jail and justice center,” she said.

After leading early in the evening Tuesday, Tucker took over the race when results from his hometown of Dexter and Grand Meadow were reported.

Douty said he was strongest in “windmill country,”” where the commissioner has worked for the development of wind energy.

The winners will be sworn in to the county commissioner offices in January 2009.