Record numbers of filings for county offices include record number of Republican candidates

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette

Wednesday, Jan. 27, 1:15 a.m. -- With less than 15 minutes left before the 4 p.m. Tuesday filing deadline, two candidates were in the Nelson County Clerk's office completing their forms and paying their filing fee. Frances Robertson of New Haven became the 13th candidate -- and 12th Democrat -- to file to run for the office of Nelson County clerk. Following Robertson, incumbent Nelson County surveyor Stephen Hibbs returned from his truck with his $50 filing fee, making his filing the last of the day, just minutes ahead of the deadline.

Nelson County Clerk Phyllis Mattingly told WBRT's Roth Stratton Tuesday that she had never seen so many candidates filing for office in a primary election, including a record number of Republicans who have filed for county offices, and even requiring a Republican primary in the race for sheriff and magistrate in the county's 5th District.

Candidates who are going to file as independent candidates for county offices bypass the May primary; they do not have to file their intent to run for a particular county office until April 1st. So far, only 4th District magistrate Tim Hutchins has announced he'll run as an independent candidate. He announced last month he will run for the office of judge-executive. In other races the Secretary of State reported:

• In Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie, G-Bowling Green will face Democratic challenger Ed Marksberry of Owensboro in the November general election.
  
  
• State Rep. David Floyd, R-Bardstown, who filed for office in November, will face Bloomfield Democrat Eddie O'Daniel. O'Daniel is originally from Springfield, Ky.,and is sometimes confused with Springfield attorney Ed O'Daniel.
  
  
• State Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, who defeated Bardstown businessman Jodie Haydon in the recent Dec. 8 special election, will go unopposed into his next term barring a challenger who files as either an independent or as a write-in candidate.

The following candidates have filed for the county offices listed below:

NELSON COUNTY ATTORNEY

1. John S. Kelley Jr, (D)(i)

NELSON COUNTY CORONOER

1. Rayfield "Field" Houghlin (D)(i)
2. Danielle Chladek (R)
   

NELSON COUNTY CLERK

1. Elaine A. Filiatreau (D)
2. Phillip Mouser (D)
3. Margaret A. Neel (D)
4. James Neil Boblitt (D)
5. Jeanette Hall Sidebottom (D)
6. Gena Newton Arnold (D)
7. Challen Paul McCoy Jr. (D)
8. Marlene Marks Kasama (D)
9. Joseph Todd Spalding (D)
10. Barbara N. Chesser (D)
11. Colonel Michael E. Masters (D)
12. Frances A. Robertson (D)
13. Dwight C. Newton (R)

NELSON COUNTY JAILER

1. 1. Dorcas F. Figg (D)(i)
2. Jon Ryan (R)
3. Joseph Michael Nalley (D)

NELSON COUNTY JUDGE EXECUTIVE

1. Robert Alexander Hamilton (D)
2. Dean Watts (D)(i)
3. Peter Trzop (R)

NELSON COUNTY MAGISTRATE DISTRICT 1

1. 1. Stacey Cundiff (D)
2. Joseph Maynard Wimsett (D)(i)
3. Ballard Keith Metcalfe (D)
4. Jim Thompson (D)
5. Marion E. Smith (D)
6. Scott Weakley (D)
7. Harold "Weird" Bowling Jr. (D)
8. Angela Culver (D)
9. Stephen Paul Howard (R)

NELSON COUNTY MAGISTRATE DISTRICT 2

1. Sam Hutchins (D)(i)

NELSON COUNTY MAGISTRATE DISTRICT 3

1. Bernard Ice (D)(i)

NELSON COUNTY MAGISTRATE DISTRICT 4

1. David K. Cook (D)
2. David Shields (D)
3. Bobby Settles (D)
4. Donny Clark (D)
5. Jeff Lear (R)

NELSON COUNTY MAGISTRATE DISTRICT 5

1. Jerry L. Hahn (D)(i)
2. P.J. Milburn (D)
3. Glenn Stone (R)
4. Doug Bunch (R)

NELSON COUNTY PVA

1. Barbara Tichenor (D)(i)

NELSON COUNTY SHERIFF

1. Kenny Downs (D)
2. Stephen D. Campbell (D)
3. Rick McCubbin (R)
4. Ted Sheilds (R)

NELSON COUNTY SURVEYOR

1. Stephen Hibbs (D)(i)

(D) Registered Democrat
(R) Registered Republican
(i) incumbent candidate

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