By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
Carter County Clerk Mike Johnston has issued an updated list of primary candidates after the state extended the filing deadline for candidates from January 7 to January 25.
While some candidates are still running unopposed in the primary – including Property Valuation Administrator Leslie Kiser-Roseberry, County Attorney Brian Bayes, and Johnston – other primary races have grown.
Two more candidates have thrown their hat into the ring for the Judge Executive race on the Democratic side, with Charles Wallace and Chester Highley joining Bobby Hall and Dustin Howard in primary race. On the Republican side District Five magistrate Brandon Burton has joined Vic Adams and Brad Brammell in seeking their party’s nod.
In the race for jailer it’s still incumbent R.W. Boggs facing primary challengers William “Buddy” Grayson, Wade Thompson, and Bob Bowling on the Republican ticket. But they now have a general election opponent in Charles Kiser, who is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.
In magistrate races, District One will see a Democratic primary pitting Kenny Adkins against Hunter Chase Buck, while on the Republican ticket incumbent magistrate Chris Huddle will face off against Jeffery Flaugher. In District Two, incumbent Morris Shearer is running unopposed on the Democratic ticket. He will face off against the winner of a Republican primary featuring Michael Lucas and former Grayson city councilman Derrick McKinney.
In District Three the race is set, with Democratic incumbent Jack Steele and Republican Millard Cordle running unopposed in their party primaries.
In District Four two Republicans have joined the race. The winner of a Danny Joe Holbrook and Cody Allen Carter Republican primary will face off against the winner of a Democratic race featuring incumbent Donnie Oppenheimer and challenger Clifford “Sodbuster” Roe.
In District Five, it’s now down to a four-way Republican race, with the winner of a Robert “Sleepy” Porter, William Elwood Stevens, David Jessie, and Harley Rayburn contest facing no Democratic competition in the general election.
There are no Democratic challengers in the District One constable race, where Carl E. Bocook is running unopposed on the Republican ticket, while in District Two Democrat Danny Davis is running unopposed and with no Republican challengers. In District Three the primary is uncontested, meaning Democrat Johnny Gifford will face off against Republican Gary Kenneth Shaffer in the general election, while in District Five, where the primary is also uncontested, the general election will feature Democrat William “Bill” Wilson Jr. against Republican Phillip Mason Blevins.
In District Four the winner of the Democratic primary between Jhan Jarrell and Billy Dan Dailey will take on the role of constable.
In-state offices, Democrat Robin Webb is running unopposed in the local primary for the 18th District State Senator seat while Republican Patrick Flannery is unopposed in the local primary for the 96th District State Representative seat.
No new information has been released in city races, where Grayson city councilman Troy Combs is the only candidate to file for the Grayson mayor position. However, candidates for mayor or city council seats still have several months – until 4 p.m. on June 7 – to file to run.
Independent candidates, who don’t have to participate in the primary, have until 4 p.m. on August 9 to file.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
