By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
The big surprise in Lonoke County in the filing period that ended Tuesday came out of the office of county clerk, where Prudie Perceful has decided to not run again for the office she has held for almost a decade.
Perceful, 62, said she had anguished over the decision for almost a year before finally deciding over the weekend to not seek reelection.
Perceful said Tuesday that almost 30 years in the clerk’s office has left her little time with her children and grandchildren. “I’ve missed so much because of my job duties,” she said.
Both the candidates who did file for the position have worked for Perceful. Cassandra Pitts, a Republican, filed last week.
Dawn Porterfield, a Demo-crat, filed after Perceful said she would not run.
Lonoke County Prosecutor Lona McCastlain, a Repub-lican, filed last week for her fourth term. She is running against Tim Blair, the Demo-crat who once worked in her office, who filed March 21.
“I love my job. I love fighting for justice and I do it well,” McCastlain said. “I feel like people want an aggressive voice to speak for them. We can’t go back to having a passive voice in this office; it’s too critical.
“I’m a prosecutor at heart and there’s no way I’m going to willingly turn this office over to a defense attorney,” she said.
Lonoke County Judge Charlie Troutman, a Democrat, is running unopposed for his third term in office, but County Sheriff Jim Rober-son, a Republican, has three opponents for his third race: former Sheriff Charlie Martin, a Democrat, and two Repub-licans, John W. Staley and Keith Butler.
Circuit Clerk Karol De-priest and Assessor Jerry Adams, both Democrats, are unopposed. The office of collector has three Democratic candidates, Scotty Belford, Dany Clement and Patricia McCallie.
County Coroner Sherry Stacener has two opponents. Darriel Ezell and LeRoy Wood. All three are Democrats. Samuel Smith, the county surveyor, is opposed by William “Randy” Gipson. Smith is a Republican. Gipson is a Democrat.
On the Lonoke County Quorum Court, Jodie Grissha Troutman, D., is running for the District 1 position held by Joe Gunter who is not seeking reelection. The Dist. 2 seat has three candidates: Janette Minton, the Republican incumbent; Larry G. Ridgeway, the Democrat whose seat she took in the last election, and Vincent B. Ables, a Republican.
In Dist. 3, Cabot Alderman Patrick Hutton has filed against incumbent Larry Odom. Both are Republicans.
In Districts 4 and 5 the Republican incumbents, Donna Pedersen and Lynn Weeks Clarke are unopposed.
In Dist. 6, Alexis Malham, the Republican incumbent will face Harry Roderick, an independent and Chris R. Skinner, a Democrat.
Richard Kyzer, the Democratic incumbent is unopposed in Dist. 7. Three Democrats have filed for the Dist. 8 seat: Nita Colclasure, Fred Ibbotson and Roger D. Lynch.
Robert “Sonny” Morey, the incumbent Democrat is unopposed for Dist. 9. In Dist. 10, three Democrats have filed: Norman W. Walker, the incumbent; Kyle E. Lackey and Virgil Turner.
Mike Dolan, a Democrat, is unopposed for the Dist. 11 seat he has held for many years. Gina Burton, the Republican incumbent in Dist. 12 has two opponents: Patty Knox, a Democrat and Casey VanBuskirk, a Republican.
In Dist. 13, Marty Stumbaugh, the Republican incumbent and brother of Mayor Stubby Stum-baugh, is opposed by Mark Edward, also a Republican.
Most candidates for office in Cabot run as independents and are not required to file until after the May primary. However, two Republicans have filed for mayor: Eddie Joe Williams and Bill “Pete” Pedersen.
Jimmy Taylor, a Republican, has filed for city attorney and four Republicans have filed for city council: Carl Schmidt and Virgil O. Teague Jr. for the Ward 2, Position 1 seat held by Patrick Hutton who is running for quorum court; former City Attorney Ken Williams for the Ward 2, Position 2 seat held by Jerry Stephens; and Teri Miessner for the Ward 3, Position 2 seat held by Bob Duke who is retiring.
In Lonoke, all the candidates for mayor are Democrats: Mayor Thomas J. Privett, Ray Henderson, Wayne McGeee and Jim Parks.
Jack Walls McCrary is unopposed for the treasurer’s office he now holds. Bill U. Uzzell, the city clerk also is unopposed. Both are Democrats.
Jane Derning, a Democrat, is unopposed for the District 1 seat on the council now held by Wayne McGee. For Dist 2, Jackie Lee Moore Jr., the incumbent, will face Woody Evans. Both are Democrats.
Pat Howell, the incumbent will face Bob Butler, both Democrats. In District 4, Robert “Bob” Combs, a Republican, will face Kenneth Pasley, a Democrat.
No one filed against the Democratic incumbents in Districts 5-8: Efrem Z. Jones, Raymond L. Hutton, Michael L. Florence and Phillip Howell.
