The anti-incumbent sentiment that swept the country reached down to Decatur County Tuesday.

Incumbent Decatur County Commissioner Gary Phillips, a Republican, was defeated by a slim margin during Tuesday night’s general election against Oliver Sellers, a Democrat.

Phillips received 428 votes, or 47.5 percent, to Sellers’ 473 votes, or 52.5 percent.

Sellers, a code enforcement officer with Gadsden County, Fla., said he was surprised with the vote.

“That’s good news,” Sellers said. “I didn’t figure I could beat an incumbent.”

Sellers, who lost his attempt for the county commission seat four years ago, said he’s worked very hard talking to voters in the northern district. He said he will listen to their concerns.

Phillips, the owner of the Bainbridge Dairy Queen restaurant, said the campaign was clean and that he tried to work hard for the residents of District 6.

Sellers said his No. 1 priority is to improve the roads situation, and then to try to get more jobs in the county.

Frank Loeffler, running as a Republican, won with 961 votes, or 64.4 percent, to Ted Snell’s 473 votes, or 35.6 percent.

Board of Education Chairman Dr. Sydney Cochran easily won re-election Tuesday against retired educator John McRae. Cochran had 944 votes, or 65.9 percent, to McRae’s 489 votes, or 34.1 percent.

State Rep. Gene Maddox, a Republican from Cairo, was sheltered from the anti-incumbent sentiment, winning re-election against Democrat Marjean Boyd, a Democrat from Bainbridge.

Maddox won Decatur County by 751 votes. Maddox received 3,798 votes, or 55.5 percent, to Boyd’s 3,047 votes, or 44.5 percent.

In Grady County, Maddox received 2,966 votes, or 62 percent, to Boyd’s 1,816 votes, or 38 percent.

U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop is struggling to retain his seat Tuesday against Republican Mike Keown. With 77 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday night, Keown had 52.8 percent of the vote to Bishop’s 47.2 percent.

In the governor’s race, with 64 percent of the precincts reporting, Republican Nathan Deal may win without a run-off against former governor Roy Barnes.  Deal had 53.7 percent of the vote to Barnes’ 42.3 percent. Libertarian Chuck Donovan has 4.0 percent.