Sally Doty defeated Bill Boerner inTuesday’s runoff to become the Republican nominee for state SenateDistrict 39.

    She will face Democratic nominee W.L. Rayborn in the Nov. 8 generalelection.

    “We’re happy. Our hard work paid off,” Doty said about her runoffvictory. “We have worked so hard through the whole campaign, but itintensified these last few weeks.”

    District 39 includes Lincoln and Lawrence counties and part ofSimpson County.

    Simpson County was a strong area for Doty. According to completebut unofficial results, she received 688 votes, while Boernertotaled 385 votes.

    Doty also had decisive support in Lawrence County where 401 voteswent to Doty and 237 votes to Boerner.

    Boerner narrowly defeated Doty in Lincoln County, but it was notenough to make up for his losses elsewhere. In Lincoln County, hereceived 1,295 votes to Doty’s 1,226 votes.

    District-wide, Doty received 2,315 votes and Boerner’s 1,917.

    Doty attributed her Simpson County strength to her early workthere.

    “There was a lot of uncertainty back in the spring as to what areawas included in our district,” Doty said. “The day the judge ruledthat we were going to have Simpson County, I got on the phone.”

    Early phone calls netted her some important contacts in thecampaign, Doty stated.

    Doty said the runoff election made her a stronger candidate thanshe would have been had she won outright. She believes this will beto her advantage as she moves into a general election campaign.

    “This runoff gave me some more time to meet more people in thedistrict,” she said. “That impressed on me the importance andsignificance of representing all the different kind of people inthe district.”

    Democratic nominee Rayborn is no newcomer to the state Senate. Heheld the District 39 seat from 1980-2000, when Cindy Hyde-Smithdefeated him.

    This year, Hyde-Smith chose to run for commissioner of agriculturein lieu of seeking re-election.

    Doty said that while Rayborn will have “name recognition” she has astrong chance against him.

    “I do not think the voters in the district want to go back,” shesaid. “We need to move forward.”

    Doty’s victory comes despite Boerner’s better-funded campaign.According to campaign finance returns filed by the candidates,Boerner’s campaign spent $42,386.59 up to the runoff while Doty’sspent $29,008.40.

    Doty explained that she and her husband have always been”do-it-yourselfers.”

    “It may take staying up till midnight to put stickers on mailers,but that’s the way I wanted to do it,” she said.

    Doty said that attitude and the help of those around her made upthe difference.

    “We had a great team,” she said. “I could not have done it withoutmy family and my campaign workers.”

    Boerner was unavailable for comment Wednesday morning.