Jack Tibbs survives close runoff fight to remain Eufaula mayor

EUFAULA, Ala. (WRBL) — Eufaula Mayor Jack Tibbs won re-election to his fourth term Tuesday in a hard-fought runoff victory over political newcomer Chris Beam.

Unofficial results have Tibbs winning by 105 votes. Tibbs got 1,507 while Beam had 1,402.

“Well, a W is a W. That’s the way I look at it,” Tibbs told WRBL News 3. “I would have liked for it to have been a bigger spread, but, there was enough to win. And, I’m proud for that.”

A Eufaula transplant who was raised in Columbus and graduated from Baker High School, Tibbs, 70, has lived in Eufaula for 25 years and been the mayor for more than half that time.

Beam, 57, had never run for political office. He works in Eufaula as a nurse. He has spent most of his life in Eufaula and was raised in this town of more than 12,000 people.

Tibbs’s new term starts Nov. 3. He took the close win in stride.

“Well, it tells me that, I had a lot of good help, a lot of good people, you know, pulling for me,” he said. “You know, we still had enough people out there that believe in us to  keep us here.”

Beam and Tibbs both monitored the returns from City Hall. When it became obvious Tibbs was going to win, Beam conceeded in person and shook the mayors hand on the out the door.

“Just very exhausting,” Beam said. “Congratulations to Mr. Tibbs, on a great, great race. It’s been very hard fought. Been a long 90 days. Obviously a little disappointed, but, you know, we’ll be fine.”

There were about 2,800 votes cast in the race on Aug. 26. Tibbs was the top vote-getter last month by just 76 votes.

As they campaigned Tuesday, both men said they expected the runoff to be a tight race. Slightly more voters turned out for the runoff.