By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
Candidates are filing for office this week, and there are several contested races in Lonoke and White counties.
In Lonoke County, John W. Staley of Austin, a Republican, has filed against Sheriff Jim Roberson of Cabot, another Republican, who is in his sixth year as sheriff.
Roberson, who has not filed yet, said this week that running for re-election is always stressful, but not so much of a concern that he can’t keep doing his job.
“We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing,” he said. “We’re solving thefts and arresting drug dealers. We’ve got a good bunch of deputies. It’s working.”
Sam Chamberlain of Austin, a Democrat, said he will also run for Lonoke County sheriff.
LEGISLATURE
In the legislative races, Walls Mc-Crary, Democrat of Lonoke, has filed for House Dist. 15, which takes in part of Lonoke
County and part of Pulaski.
Kieth Williams, Democrat of Beebe, has filed for House Dist. 49 in White County. In House Dist. 50, which takes in Searcy, Kyle Reeves has filed as a Republican and Monty Betts has filed as a Democrat. Both are from Searcy.
Three Democrats have filed for House Dist. 58, which takes in part of White County and part of Jackson County: Jody Dickinson of Newport; L.J. Bryant of Newport and Jamie Darling of Tuckerman.
Rep. Lance Reynolds, D-Quitman, has filed for his seat in House Dist. 59, which takes in part of White and part of Cleburne County.
LONOKE COUNTY
Candidates have also filed for office in Lonoke County: Jennifer Stuart, non-partisan Lonoke District Court judge; Deborah
Oglesby, Democrat, circuit clerk; Dawn Porterfield, Democrat, county clerk; Susan Denise Brown, Republican, circuit clerk; Sherry Stracener, Democrat, coroner; Patricia McCallie, Democrat, tax collector; Karol Depriest, Democrat, county treasurer.
Quorum court candidates are Robert Morey, Democrat, JP Dis. 9; Roger Dale Lynch, Democrat, JP Dist. 8; Larry Odom, Republican, JP Dist. 3; Mark Edwards, Republican, JP Dist. 13; Mike Dolan, Democrat, JP Dist. 11; Adam Sims, Democrat, JP Dist. 7; Ronald Evans, Democrat, JP Dist. 10; Wes Clement, Democrat, JP Dist. 10, and Lynn Weeks Clark, Republican, JP Dist. 5.
CIRCUIT JUDGE
Lonoke and White Counties have three contested races for circuit judge. In Dist. 23, Lonoke County, Lance Hanshaw is retiring, leaving his Division 1 seat up for grabs. In Dist., 17, White and Prairie counties, Judge Bill Mills is stepping down from his
Division 1 seat.
In Dist. 23, Division 3, Judge Barbara Elmore and Assistant Prosecutor Chuck Graham have filed for Division 1.
Prosecutor Lona McCastlain and Division 2 Judge Phillip Whiteaker have filed for Division 2 and Sandy Huckabee has filed for Division 3.
In Dist. 17, Mark Derrick and Tom Hughes have filed for Division 1, while Division 2 Judge Robert Edwards and Division 3 Judge Craig Hannah so far are unopposed.
WHITE COUNTY
In White County races, there will be a rematch for county judge between Dennis Gillam, Democrat Judsonia, and Michael Lincoln, Republican-Searcy, who defeated Gillam in 2006. Valentine Huffman of Searcy also has filed in that race as an independent.
All other elected White County officials are expected to run unopposed.
