Catawba County voters re-elected the two Republican incumbents to the Board of Commissioners Tuesday.
Incumbents Barbara Gail Beatty and Dan Hunsucker each received 37 percent of the vote, edging out challenger George McClellan of Maiden.
Hunsucker reacted to his win with characteristic humbleness.
"I just want to thank the people of the county for their trust and confidence and I will do my best to uphold the integrity of the office," he said.
The big issue, Hunsucker said, remains the economy.
"We're working with the Economic Development Commission to broaden our economic base and to train people to work in industries coming to Catawba County," he said.
Hunsucker said some industries had decided not to relocate in Catawba County because they didn't feel the area offered them an already trained work force. He said he plans to continue relations and cooperation with local educational institutions such as Catawba Valley Community College and the Higher Education Center.
Hunsucker, 49, runs a beef and dairy farm in Conover. He is married and he and his wife, Kathy, have three children: Brad, Amanda and John. He has served on the board since 2000. He is a graduate of Newton-Conover High School and North Carolina State University.
He is involved in the North Carolina Farm Bureau's Young Farmers Program, the Catawba County Board of Social Services and the Catawba County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council.
McClellan, 68, lives in Maiden with his wife, Scottie, for whom he named the restaurant he ran before turning it over to two of his children. He served on the Maiden Town Council for two terms — 1989 to 1991 and 2004 to 2008. In response to his loss, he simply stated he wanted to thank his supporters.
Beatty was first elected to the board in 1996. She has worked for the Hickory Crawdads and has served on the Mental Health Services Board, the Hickory Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Newton-Conover Auditorium Authority.
Attempts to reach Beatty, 57, an account executive for Cooper Broadcasting, were unsuccessful.
The results are unofficial until a canvass is conducted.
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