Henry County Watchdog | Opinion

Former Clinton Mayor Sam Gibbons recently shared his thoughts on the Henry County Presiding Commissioner race in a statement published in the local newspaper.

Gibbons, who served four years as mayor of Clinton, discussed the tone of the election, his experience serving alongside Daniel Wilson on the Clinton City Council, and his reasons for supporting Shannon Hills for Presiding Commissioner.

His statement is particularly noteworthy because he draws on his firsthand experience working with Wilson during his time as mayor.

For those who may have missed the newspaper publication, Henry County Watchdog has transcribed Gibbons’ statement below so readers can review his comments in their entirety.

A Note From Former Mayor, Sam Gibbons

“I, like many others, am looking forward to the end of this election cycle for Henry County. The primary for Presiding Commissioner was one of the nastiest I’ve ever seen, or want to see in the future. People should be ashamed of how they talked about other people in public.

I served as Mayor of Clinton for four years, and to this day, I still get called and asked on the street for my opinion on elections. I believe this is because they know I am a ‘straight shooter’ who will be honest with them.

Daniel Wilson served for all four years on the council while I was Mayor. In my opinion, he is not the Fiscal conservative who would serve the best interests of Henry County. Therefore, I am endorsing Shannon Hills for Presiding Commissioner for Henry County, based on my knowledge of his background and conservative views.”

— Sam Gibbons, Clinton

A Perspective Worth Considering

One of the more interesting aspects of Gibbons’ statement is that his comments about Wilson come from someone who served alongside him in local government for four years.

Having served alongside Wilson for four years, Gibbons brings firsthand experience and a perspective that goes beyond simply observing local politics from the outside. His comments reflect his own experience working with Wilson in local government, giving readers additional insight to consider as they evaluate the candidates.

Editor’s Note: The statement above was transcribed from a photograph of the newspaper publication. It represents the views of former Clinton Mayor Sam Gibbons and should not be interpreted as an independent factual finding by Henry County Watchdog regarding either candidate.