With runoff elections scheduled for Tuesday, Jasper’s Dorman Grace is wrapping up his campaign to become the state’s Republican nominee for agriculture commissioner.

Grace, who spent last week on a pickup caravan across Alabama, said he has enjoyed meeting new people along his first political journey.

“When I started this campaign, the people around Walker County knew me, but I was a no-name around the state,” he said. “I feel blessed to have met so many great people from all parts of our state. After talking with all these people, it only solidified my reasons for running for the position.”

Last week’s pickup caravan took Grace from Huntsville to Dothan in two days. He said most of the supporters who came to the stops were farmers.

“This was farmers ‘picking up’ support for Dorman Grace,” he said. “It was an honor to have all those guys out there showing me support.”

After being on the road for much of the last few months, Grace said spending time at home in Walker County is needed.

“I’ve stayed on the road so much that it’s made me appreciate Walker County even more,” he said. “The folks in this area will never know how much their words of encouragement have meant to me.”

Grace said he feels the state needs a farmer in agriculture commissioner’s office.

“We’ve needed an ag guy in that office,” he said. “What we don’t need is a career politician, and that’s what I think my opponent is.”

John McMillan, Grace’s opponent in Tuesday’s runoff, is the former commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. He is also a former state representative, who was first elected in 1974.

“I’ve ran a very positive campaign,” Grace said. “I haven’t said anything bad about my opponent. I am concerned that he’s been in Montgomery for more than 30 years. I don’t think that’s what we need in this office. This job is too important to the state of Alabama, and I feel like I’m the best person for it.”

A statewide poll released Thursday showed Grace had a razor-thin lead over McMillan in the runoff race. Public Strategy Associates, a Montgomery-based company, announced the results of the poll that showed Grace leading 28 percent to McMillan’s 27 percent.

In the phone survey of 1,003 highly likely Republican primary runoff voters, the group found 45 percent of voters were still undecided in their choice for ag commissioner.

“Those are the ones we both trying to get,” Grace said. “That poll may have shown me leading, but that just shows this isn’t over by any stretch. There are a lot of undecided voters out there. That’s why I need my home county to do what they can.”

Grace said he is hoping for a large voter turnout in Walker County.

“I need Walker County more than ever,” he said. “This is going to be a close race and every vote counts. I appreciate everything that everyone in this county has ever done for me. They supported me strongly in the primary election and I need them to come out and vote for me Tuesday.”

After finishing up his campaigning with several stops today and early Tuesday, Grace said he will be in Jasper to wait for the runoff results.

“We’re going to be here in town, and we’re hoping for the best,” he said.