In the GOP contest, Brandy Lee and Tina Smith filed for county clerk, while Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace Rhonda Welch filed for reelection on the Republican ticket.
Ken Ambrose announced his candidacy for Republican county chairman.
All filed Tuesday.
On the Democratic side, which has drawn far fewer candidates for Upshur office than the GOP for the first time in modern history, Joe W. Newsom filed Monday for Pct. 2 county commissioner.
He is the father of Upshur County Democratic Party Chairman Joe Newsom Jr.
The filings for county clerk brought to four the number of candidates for that office in the GOP primary. The others are incumbent Peggy LaGrone, who is seeking reelection to a second term, and Cathy Mullins.
No candidates have filed in the Democratic primary for that office.
While Mrs. Welch is unopposed so far, Ambrose became the third candidate to file for GOP county chairman.
Also running are incumbent Brenda Patterson, who is seeking reelection, and Chrissy Fincher.
The Republican race for Pct. 2 county commissioner is also a 3-way contest so far with Cole Hefner, Don Gross and Mark Mitchell running. Newsom is the only Democratic candidate so far for the post being vacated by retiring Democratic incumbent Joe (Buddy) Ferguson.
All other races on each party’s ballot so far are uncontested, though a race is expected to develop in the GOP primary for county judge.
Incumbent Dean Fowler, one of five Democratic elected officials in the county who announced Dec. 1 they were converting to the Republican Party, has filed for reelection to a third term in the GOP primary.
John Melvin Dodd, the unsuccessful Republican nominee for the office against Fowler in 2006, has said he too will file for the post in the GOP race.
District Clerk Carolyn Bullock Parrott, another Democrat-turned-Republican who announced her switch Dec. 1, is unopposed so far in her bid for reelection in the GOP primary. So is Republican District Attorney Billy Byrd in his bid for reelection.
Ron South is the lone GOP candidate so far for Pct. 4 county commissioner, while incumbent Glenn Campbell is unopposed to date for re-election in the Democratic primary.
Also unopposed so far in the Democratic primary are two other incumbents seeking reelection—County Treasurer Myra Harris and Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace W.V. Ray. No Republicans have filed for those offices.
Four Libertarian Party candidates have also announced they will seek county offices, and that party will select its nominees at a March 13 convention.
The four and the offices they seek are June Forbing, county clerk; Allen Weatherford, Pct. 2 county commissioner; Vance Lowry, Pct. 4 county commissioner; and Sherri Little, Pct. 2 justice of the peace.
Ms. Little plans to seek the post held by Lyle Potter, another of the Democrats-turned-Republicans. He has said he will seek reelection.
The other two officeholders who recently announced their switch to the GOP, Sheriff Anthony Betterton and Constable Jason Weeks, are not up for election in 2010.
Post a Comment