SNOW HILL – Southern Worcester County will have new representation at the county level following this week’s election.
In the only Worcester County Commissioner race left undecided by the primary election, challenger Caryn Abbott this week defeated incumbent Josh Nordstrom in District 1.
Caryn Abbott
“It’s been a long eight months,” Abbott said. “This is a win for the people of District 1 and Worcester County.”
Abbott, a Republican, filed in January to run against Nordstrom, who was seeking a second term in office. As with most local winners, Abbott had a slight lead during early voting that grew on Election Day.
Abbott received 86 early votes and 1,100 votes on Tuesday for a total of 1,186 votes (59.78%).
Nordstrom received 76 early votes and 717 votes on Tuesday for a total of 793 (39.97%).
Abbott, a longtime nurse, said she’d retired from full-time work last year and wanted to be an advocate for the people by serving as a county commissioner. During her campaign, she highlighted the need for revitalization in Pocomoke and better broadband access and shared her concerns about unfunded state mandates.
In an interview Wednesday, Abbott said she’d been confident going into the election and was pleased her campaigning paid off.
She said the most enjoyable part of running for elected office had been meeting the people of Worcester County.
“That was the best part of it all, getting to meet people and have those conversations at the front door or kitchen table,” she said. “They went from ‘no I don’t want to talk to you’ to by the end of the evening ‘do you want to stay for dinner.’’’
Abbott, whose husband John was also elected to a seat on the Worcester County Board of Education Tuesday, said they were both thankful they’d now be able to serve the people of their district.
Abbott said voter turnout had been good Tuesday and she was not surprised to learn she’d won.
“I was expecting what happened yesterday,” she said. “I didn’t know by how much, but the numbers were looking good all day long.”
She said she wanted to thank her campaign volunteers, as well as voters.
“It was a grassroots campaign,” she said. “We’re very proud of what we accomplished.”
