More commission, sheriff candidates declare
Published 2:17 pm Thursday, March 5, 2020
CAIRO — Candidates are continuing to qualify to run for local offices this week as the field for the May 19 primary election begins to take shape.
Joining the race Wednesday was school resource officer Duke Donaldson, who rounds out a crowded Republican field seeking the office of sheriff. Incumbent Harry Young declared his intentions to seek his fifth consecutive term in the office, and he’ll face off against Donaldson, former investigator Steve Clarke and Camilla officer Jared Evans in May. Also joining the contest was school resource officer Donald “Dickie” Thomas, who qualified to run for sheriff as a Democrat.
New to the race for the Board of Commissioners, District 1 seat is Ralph Harris, who qualified as a Democrat. On the other side of the aisle, Commissioner June Knight will go up against challenger Richard Jordan in the Republican primary.
Sitting school board members Teresa Gee Hardy and Jeff Worsham qualified to seek reelection earlier this week, and joining them will be District 3 representative Gerald Goosby, who will be seeking a full term of his own after replacing former member Laura Register on the board earlier this year. School board races are nonpartisan.
Also qualifying Wednesday was incumbent tax commissioner Barbara Darus, who will face off in the Republican primary against Bobby Newmons. Incumbent coroner Rusty Powe also threw his name in for reelection. He is currently unopposed.
Commissioner LaFaye Copeland declared her intentions to run in District 4 again as a Democrat, but also vying for the seat is former commissioner Charles Renaud, who qualified for the race as a Republican.
District 3 Commissioner Keith Moye, who qualified for reelection earlier this week, does not currently have a challenger.
Incumbents Pat Pollock and Denise Kines declared their candidacies for magistrate and clerk of court, respectively, as Republicans.
Denise Maddox declared her intention to run for reelection in the nonpartisan race for probate judge, where she is currently unopposed.
The qualifying period will end Friday at noon.
