BUCKFIELD — Riding the wave of Republican victories across the state, former Maine State Police Trooper Timothy Turner was elected as an Oxford County commissioner on Tuesday. 

The Buckfield resident overcame a bid from Lee Holman, a centrist Democrat from Hartford, by a margin of nearly 20 percent. It is Turner’s first first elected position. 

“It’s pretty humbling, especially to win by the margin I did because Lee is more than qualified,” Turner said.

The vote gives Turner a four-year term in District 3, representing the towns of Oxford, Otisfield, Paris, Buckfield, Hebron, Hartford, Sumner, West Paris and Woodstock.

Turner, 51, has been active with the Republican party in Oxford for the past two years. Two months after becoming party chairman, he was nominated as the Republican candidate for office after Diane Jackson of Oxford, wife of Commissioner Caldwell Jackson, dropped out of the race. 

In a phone interview Tuesday morning, Turner reiterated his enthusiasm for working with the Sheriff’s Office — a point made during his campaign — as the primary liaison between law enforcement and the county.

Speaking about re-elected Oxford County Sheriff Wayne Gallant, Turner said, “I’ve known Gallant (for a long time). I literally met him the first day I was on the road as a trooper. I’ve worked with him over the years where our cases overlapped. I’m completely comfortable working with him.” 

During the campaign, Turner and Holman offered similar views on looking for ways to save taxpayers money. When it came down to separating the two, Turner credited the win with his deep roots in the county. 

“I think a lot of it is I grew up in this area and everyone knows me. I saw people I hadn’t seen from high school. That’s what really did it,” he said.  

Holman, who conceded the race though some towns still had not reported results, said she enjoyed running and would continue to keep tabs on the commissioners’ office for a possible bid in 2018.

“I’m a much stronger person than I was four years ago, going up against my fears of knocking on doors and facing rejection. It wasn’t that scary, and dang, I’m going to miss meeting interesting people and making friends,” Holman said. 

Turner will replace chairman and two-term Commissioner Jackson, who was unable to seek re-election due to his position with the state.

Turner will be sworn in Jan. 1, 2015, when he will join commissioners David A. Duguay of Byron, an independent, and Steven M. Merrill of Norway, a Republican.

ccrosby@sunjournal.com