After day two of a District 92 Republican Primary ballot review,second-place finisher Paul Barnett has abandoned his efforts toseek a runoff.

Primary winner Becky Currie will now go on to the Nov. 6 generalelection to face D.W. Maxwell, who was unopposed for the Democraticnomination. In the Aug. 7 GOP primary, Currie took 50.8 percent ofthe Republican vote with 523, while Barnett had 457, or 44 percent.Gene Buckles had 49 votes.

The Committee to Elect Paul Barnett had asked to examine theballots in Lincoln, Copiah and Franklin counties for discrepanciesafter Currie won the election outright by less than a percentagepoint. Barnett’s group also asked to review the ballots in theDemocratic primary.

While Barnett’s father, Dr. Jim Barnett, told people at theCopiah County Courthouse the review of the Democratic ballots wasto look for write-in votes for his son, Paul Barnett said it was afact-finding mission aimed at analyzing the entire amount ofdata.

Barnett, upon completing the review, decided to pursue thematter no further.

In a letter written to The DAILY LEADER Saturday, he wishedCurrie and Maxwell luck in the Nov. 6 general election. The letteris printed in its entirely on Page 4A of today’s newspaper.

Currie said she is turning her attention to November.

“The requested review is complete and the outcome of theelection did not change. We are moving forward to November. I wantto thank the people of District 92 for their support and patienceand I’d like to thank everyone at the Franklin, Copiah and LincolnCounty courthouses for their professionalism and hard work,” Curriesaid in a statement on Saturday.

Lincoln County Circuit Clerk Terry Lynn Watkins confirmed Fridaynight that the review had been completed and that there was nosubstantial change in the numbers. Copiah and Franklin County’sballots were reviewed Thursday with no change in the outcome aswell.