SOME INCUMBENTS FALL IN BUTLER CO.

POPLAR BLUFF -- In a surprising upset Tuesday, Carl E. Miller II defeated Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Ernie J. Richardson with 6,139 votes to Richardson's 5,142.

Robert L. Manns became presiding commissioner with 6,671 votes to Louie Snider's 4,788 votes. Challenger Jerry Aldrich took the eastern district commissioner's seat with 4,929 votes to incumbent George Mureno's 3,636, and Gene Hart narrowly won the western district commissioner's race with 1,389 votes to Jay Mondy's 1,353.

Incumbent County Clerk John Dunivan retained his seat with 6,391 votes to Melvin Burton Brock's 4,708. Another incumbent, County Treasurer Betty DeCourley, also retained her seat with 5,999 votes to challenger James G. Vernon's 5,275.

Other incumbents were unseated. Recorder of Deeds Wanda Gambill Gaebler received 5,558 votes, falling to challenger Debby Lundstrom's 5,686 votes.

Incumbent Bill Foster won the race for state representative in the 156th district with 1,630 votes to Marvin Bowles' 599.

Amendment 6 was defeated in Butler County with 6,888 no votes and 4,314 yes, and Amendment 7 was defeated with 7,062 no votes and 4,168 yes.

In the U.S. Senate race, Republican John Ashcroft easily defeated Democrat Alan Wheat with 8,007 votes to Wheat's 3,007 votes. Libertarian Bill Johnson received 379 votes.

Republican State Auditor Margaret Kelly received 7,390 votes, Democrat Steve Danner received 3,523, and Grant Stauffer received 263.

In the race for the seat in Congress, Republican Bill Emerson received 8,775 votes, Democrat Jay Thompson received 2,400 and Libertarian Greg Tlapek received 211.