Combs wins SGA presidency in close 3-way race

Credit: Jenny Rohl/The News Caption: Nathan Payne (left) embraces Clint Combs (right) after the election results were announced.
Credit: Jenny Rohl/The News Caption: Nathan Payne (left) embraces Clint Combs (right) after the election results were announced.

(WITH VIDEO) – Clint Combs is the newly-elected president of the Student Government Association after winning Wednesday with 38 percent of the vote in a close three-way race.

Combs beat out Luke King, who had about 33 percent and Michael Mann, who had about 28 percent of the 1,485 votes cast over two days.

Combs’ running mate Nathan Payne won the vice presidential election with 44 percent of the votes, defeating Chantry Carroll (23 percent), Kendrick Settler (26 percent) and Robert Gomez (7 percent).

“Nathan and I – we campaigned together, and we did the best that we could,” Combs said. “There’s nothing I would’ve changed about that. But I am so grateful to Murray State for believing in us. We’ve got a lot of great ideas for the SGA. It’s been in great hands the past several years and I’m just excited to keep that momentum going forward.”

Rachel Ross, who ran unopposed, was elected the SGA treasurer. Heather Raley claimed 58 percent of the votes for secretary as she defeated Jamie Nuckolls.

The results were announced Wednesday night in Winslow Dining Hall – a popular area for students to gather.

Jeanie Morgan, adviser for SGA, said Winslow typically has between 800 and 1,000 students visit the during the weekly wild wing Wednesday late night hours.

Winslow was a new venue for SGA election announcements. The election results used to be announced in the Quad during All Campus Sing in mid-April, but SGA moved the election up this year.“There’s not enough time to transition,” Morgan said about the earlier election date. “You have to elected a judicial board, senate chairs and we have to have our activities board selected. You can’t get it all done in one week.”

Morgan said all other Kentucky public schools, and now Murray State, hold their student government elections before Spring Break.

Michael Dobbs, SGA president for 2014-15, said the elections this year were a success.

“I think all of the candidates we had we very, very well qualified,” Dobbs said. “I’m not just saying that, I truly believe that.”

FULL RESULTS:

President

Clint Combs

Vice President

Nathan Payne

Secretary

Heather Raley

Treasurer

Rachel Ross

Residential College 

Association President

Paula Jaco

Residential College 

Association Vice President

Chris Wright

Senator At-Large

Patrick Hooks

Connor Jaschen

Christian Barnes

Carter Hearne

Dylan Baker

Emily Baker

Jaclyn Whoberry

Jordan Maberry

Business Senators

Mounika Nalluri

Amie Jones

Taylor Futrell

Education and Human 

Services Senator

Tanelle Smith

Humanities and Fine Arts Senators

Chynnique Ross

David Crittendon

Science, Engineering and Technology Senators

Vislias Ankatha

Clayton Sparks

Anh Ngo

Agriculture Senators

Connor Moore

Hunter Easterling

Leah Cline

Nursing and Health Professions Senators

Paige Buckner

Becca Spraggs

 

Story by Mary Bradley, Editor-in-Chief

 

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