Bay St. Louis City Council will have at least one new face after incumbent defeated

The Bay St. Louis City Council will have at least one new face after the Republican primary election on Tuesday — in the Ward 4 race, challenger Kyle Lewis won over incumbent Councilman Larry J. Smith by 245 votes to 164, according to unofficial results.

“It’s very humbling to have this opportunity,” Lewis said Tuesday after the ballots were counted. “I feel very fortunate and I’d like to thank all the voters who supported my platform and goals for Ward 4 and the city of Bay St. Louis. I also want to thank Larry Smith for his years of service to the city, and thank him for running a good race.”

Smith appeared to take the results in stride.

“That’s politics,” he said Tuesday. “I would like the public to know that I gave everything I could give for the past four years and it’s been a privilege and an honor to serve the people of Ward 4. I will continue to serve, and I will do whatever I can to help my city, because I love her.

“I just appreciate all the support I have received over the years. I’ve made great friends and I think I have a great social backing that I believe has been unsurpassed, and I really just love the people of my city.”

All the other incumbents won their respective races Tuesday.

Mayor Mike Favre was unopposed in the Republican primary, and there is no Democratic candidate, so he will automatically continue to serve in the post after the general election.

In the Councilman-at-Large race, incumbent Gary Knoblock prevailed over challenger Jerry Felder, winning 842 votes city-wide — or 58% — to Felder’s 558, or 38%.

“I want to thank my opponent for giving me such a good race,” Knoblock said. “I wish him well. I also want to congratulate Kyle Lewis, who just won another hard-fought race. I also want to congratulate the mayor and my fellow councilmen on their victories and I look forward to continue working with them in the very near future.”

Knoblock won five of the city’s six wards.

In Ward 1, Knoblock earned 286 votes to Felder’s 176; in Ward 2, it was Knoblock, 114, and Felder, 65.In Ward 3, Knoblock won 83-30. In Ward 4, 227 to 173. Ward 5, 94-67. In Ward 6, Felder earned 47 votes to Knoblock’s 38.

Ward 1 Councilman Doug Seal, who has served for the past 20 years, notched another win Tuesday, earning 280 votes to challenger Tisha Murphy’s 195. Again, there is no Democratic candidate, so Seal will automatically win the general election.

In Ward 2, incumbent Councilman Eugene “Gene” Hoffman IV was the sole Republican in the race, receiving 151 of the total 155 ballots cast. He will face Democrat and former Councilwoman Wendy McDonald in the June 8 general election.

In Ward 3, incumbent Councilman Jeffrey Reed, a Democrat, was unopposed, and will retain his seat.

In Ward 5, incumbent Councilman Buddy Zimmerman defeated Thaddeus L. Collier 98-65. With no Democrats in the general election, Zimmerman will retain the position.

In Ward 6, incumbent Councilman Josh DeSalvo is unopposed.

Tuesday night’s results are still unofficial — there are about 20 affidavit ballots that will be counted on Wednesday, but election officials said there are not enough in any one ward to change the results of the election.

The city must wait five days for any potential outstanding mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive before certifying the primary results.

Although there will now be only one race in the general election — the Ward 4 council race — officials said that the Secretary of State’s office will still require the polls to be open in all six wards.

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