HOUSE'S ONLY INDEPENDENT RE-ELECTED TO BOOTHEEL SEAT

CARUTHERSVILLE -- The Missouri House of Representative's only Independent retained his seat Tuesday. Denny J. Merideth won re-election over Democratic challenger Cleat Stanfill by 531 votes.

The rural Caruthersville man was first elected to the seat during a special election in 1997 when the incumbent quit to take a state job.

He is the first Independent to serve in the House since 1891 and the first non-Democrat to serve in District 162.

The self-described conservative is a farmer. He served in the U.S. Air Force as an F-15 pilot from 1973 to 1995.

Challenger Stanfill is a retired radio station manager. He was named Caruthersville Business Leader of the Year and Man of the Year, and president of the Caruthersville Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Private Industry Council.

District 162 includes all of Pemiscot County and parts of Dunklin and New Madrid counties.

Merideth carried in Pemiscot and Dunklin counties.

In Pemiscot, he took 2,449 ballots as opposed to 1,750 votes cast for Stanfill. In Dunklin, he took 471 ballots. Stanfill garnered 448.

In New Madrid County, Stanfill was the winner. He took 578 votes, with 387 ballots cast for Meredith.