Farmer wins nomination for board seat

A farmer has won the Republican nomination for the District 1 seat on the McLean County Board.

Gerald Thompson defeated Jeremiah Houston, taking almost 82 percent of the vote. Unofficial results from the McLean County Clerk’s Office as of 9:16 p.m. had Thompson with 1,557 votes versus Houston’s vote total of 345.

“It’s a rural district and people in the outlying areas just don’t feel like they’re being heard,” Thompson told The Central Illinois Farm Network. “My goal, if anything, is to make sure we get rid of that. We’re all one and we all succeed together.”

Thompson has served on the McLean County Farm Bureau Board and Illinois Farm Bureau Board. Houston is the mayor of Carlock and a bus driver for First Student, which contracts with the Unit 5 school district.

“I think it’s important that we have a voice as our numbers continue to decline. The importance of us stepping up and speaking out continues to increase,” he added.

No candidates from other political parties have announced plans to run for the board seat.