McGhee narrowly avoids upset, holds onto PCI vice-chairmanship

In one of the highest turnout runoff elections in Poarch Creek history, Robbie McGhee narrowly held onto his vice-chairman seat.

McGhee defeated challenger Amy Bryan, 625-596, in what was also a historically close race.

McGhee, a longtime member of the PCI tribal council, was a heavy favorite when campaigning started for the seat. But fractures within the tribe and dissatisfaction with McGhee’s leadership among some members slowly ate away at his lead.

In the general election, McGhee managed 605 votes, Bryan just 348. The remaining 434 votes were split equally between two candidates.

Bryan needed an overwhelming majority of the remaining votes to pull off an upset. She got them, but fell just short.

Following the vote, in a video posted to the PCI Facebook page, election officials praised the high voter turnout, calling it possibly the largest for a runoff election in the history of the tribe.