GOP voters choose Vaughn, Vaught, Tidwell and Maxwell for Rutherford County school board
Butch Vaughn and Stan Vaught joined incumbents Caleb Tidwell and Claire Maxwell Tuesday in winning Republican primaries for Rutherford County Board of Education seats.
The vote counts are unofficial until the Rutherford County Election Commission meets at 5 p.m. March 18 to certify the results.
Vaughn is a retired Rutherford County schools educator who served as principal at Central Middle, founding principal at Blackman Middle and principal at Oakland High. He won 2,153 votes, which is 72.69% of the count, to beat Chase Williams for a Zone 6 to succeed retiring board Chairwoman Shelia Bratton.
Williams had 801 votes, which is 27.04%.
Vaughn, who also retired as the head master emeritus at Providence Christian Academy in Murfreesboro, advances to the Aug. 1 election unopposed from a qualifying Democrat or independents.
"I’m really looking forward to working with the other board members," Vaughn said. "My goal is to unify the board, and work together for the benefit of the kids and the schools and the teachers and parents. If we all work together, it will help the kids."
Vaughn also said he's looking forward to working with Schools Director James "Jimmy" Sullivan. The director manages a fast-growing district with over 6,000 employees serving nearly 52,000 students at 50 schools.
"He’s a first-class person,"' Vaughn said. "He’s a visionary. He’s the type of person who is going to be able to help meet the challenges we face in the future of education."
Vaughn, Williams compete in GOP primary: Two Rutherford school board candidates vie for Zone 6 open seat
Vaught brings leadership experience to board
Vaught is a real estate auctioneer and farmer from Milton community on the northeast side of the county. He captured the Zone 2 GOP nomination with 1,840 votes, which is 66.40% of the count, in seeking to replace retiring board member Coy Young. Vaught's GOP opponent Nicholas Rourke had 923 votes, which is 33.31% of the votes.
The Aug. 1 election for Vaught includes competition from independents Robert Brooks and John Duncan.
Vaught has served as chairman of the county's Public Building Authority (PBA), which includes construction of six Public Health and Safety Buildings to provide Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Service services. He also is a former elected member of the County Commission.
"I look forward to the general election," Vaught said. "I think I bring to the table a level of experience with my tenure on the County Commission and serving on the PBA. My experience will be from the budgetary standpoint looking at cost saving with construction, and continuing to support the students and teachers in the budget process and being ever mindful of the taxpayers. I 'm excited to help the board look for different methods and construction to continue Rutherford County's excellent school system."
Another primary for board seat: Vaught, Rourke compete in GOP primary for Rutherford County Zone 2 school board seat
Tidwell wins GOP against former board member Tim Holden
Tidwell won 2,548 votes, which is 64.54% of total, in winning the GOP primary for Zone 3 against Tim Holden, a former board member who lost the 2022 Republican primary to Tidwell.
Holden had 1,390 votes, which is 35.21% of count.
Tidwell advances to the Aug. 1 election in seeking to keep his board seat against unopposed Democratic Party primary winner Tiffany Fee and independent Lorri Johnson.
"I would like to thank everyone for their support, and we will continue to fight for the best interests of the students moving forward," said Tidwell, who's also a 13-year employee with Pinnacle Building Services.
Another GOP primary: Voters choose Rutherford County school board candidates for Zone 3
Maxwell 'is humbled' as unopposed board incumbent
Maxwell is running unopposed in 2024. She won 1,495 GOP votes, which is 98.61%, and faces no competition Aug. 1 in seeking a second four-year term. She serves as the board's vice chairwoman and previously worked as a special education educational assistant at Riverdale High School.
Maxwell also has served on the county's Juvenile Detention Center Board and the board for Possibilities Place, a non-profit organization that serves special needs adults.
"I'm humbled by the support by my Zone 5 families, and I just really look forward to another four years," Maxwell said. "I promise to always be accessible and be your voice."
'I'm very, very excited': 'I'm very, very excited': Rutherford school board chooses Shelia Bratton as new chairwoman
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2024 Election dates
March 5: Primary for U.S. President, Rutherford County property assessor and highway superintendent, and seats for the county and Murfreesboro school boards
Aug. 1: election for county and Murfreesboro offices and primaries for state and federal offices
Nov. 5: Election Day for president, and other offices for federal, state, Smyrna, La Vergne and Eagleville governments
Source: Rutherford County Election Commission
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: GOP voters choose Vaughn, Vaught, Tidwell and Maxwell for school board
