CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Wes Golden easily won re-election as Montgomery County mayor Thursday night in a three-way race, carrying close to 60% of the vote.
Golden told Clarksville Now he felt “humbled and grateful” to be re-elected. “The people of Montgomery County have placed their trust in us again, and we don’t take that lightly. It’s an honor to keep serving this community.
As for what he’s looking to accomplish next, he said, “We know how we make decisions and why we make them: what’s best for Montgomery County. We’ll keep focusing on quality of life, our kids, public safety, and infrastructure. We planned the work, and we’ll keep working the plan.”
Golden had 58% of the vote. Democrat Isaac Greenwood had 31.4% of the vote, and independent candidate Christine McNemar had 10.3%.
Greenwood said his campaign accomplished a lot, despite the defeat. “I would like to really just talk through the power we’ve been able to build – the policies, the concerns that I have heard from you and would like to continue to take out into the county.”
He still plans to engage with community members and advocate for the issues expressed to him. “I’m still going to go before the County Commission with the concerns, with these issues, and try to get them done,” Greenwood told Clarksville Now. “I look forward to the next four years, continuing to build Montgomery County into a better place,” he said.
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McNemar said she spent the evening surrounded by community members and not checking the polls. “My goal was never to win,” McNemar said. “But it was to change people’s thoughts about local politics and what we deserve as a county, as a city, in our school system, and how we think about the whole process.
“I’d rather lose every single time with my integrity because I didn’t take any shortcuts,” she said.
McNemar said she was unsure if she would run for office again. “The results of tonight were never my biggest concern,” McNemar said. “I had people in North Clarksville, 52 years old, and it was their first time voting – which means it was their first time being seen and feeling like their vote mattered. … That is so much more rewarding.”
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About the candidates
Wes Golden, a Republican, has served one term as mayor, having been first elected in 2022. He previously was the Health and Safety manager for the City of Clarksville, a firefighter and EMT.
Isaac Greenwood, a Democrat, graduated from Volunteer State Community College and Tennessee Tech University. He works leading teams of people to design and innovate solutions for complex data systems.
Christine McNemar, independent, is a psychology student at Austin Peay State University and a foster parent.
Jazmin Logan and Christian Brown contributed to this report.
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