Change may be the political buzzword nationally, but the status quo was the overwhelming winner in Tuesday's elections in Fayette County.

From the state house to the board of commissioners, no incumbents were unseated in contests throughout the Republican-dominated county.

District Attorney Scott Ballard, county commissioners Robert Horgan and Herb Frady and school board members Janet Smola, Terri Smith and Marion Key all held off challengers.

The resistance to change was apparent even in one of the races with no incumbent. Sheriff Randall Johnson's decision to step down after 31 years left Wayne Hannah, his longtime second-in-command, Barry Babb, Dave Simmons and Thomas Mindar vying to succeed him.

Johnson had recently endorsed Hannah, calling the lieutenant colonel with nearly 34 years of service "the single most qualified candidate."

Hannah ran away with the race, claiming better than 50 percent of the vote with 39 of 40 precincts reporting. Babb, a sheriff's department employee for 21 years, finished second.

Simmons, a former deputy chief of police in Detroit and the only one of the candidates not employed with the Fayette County Sheriff's Office, finished a distant third. Mindar was last.

In other county elections, a close three-way race for probate court judge led to an Aug. 5 run-off. Republican Ann Jackson was leading with Jim Whitlock and Steve Kiser vying for the second spot.

The county's other run-off will be for County Commission Post 3 seat between incumbent Peter Pfeifer and challenger Lee Hearn. Pfeifer accumulated the most votes but totaled less than the 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff.

The third-place finisher was Stuart Kourajian, a former Peachtree City councilman.