by John B. Carpenter, Rhea County Herald-News
posted February 24, 2006
The slate of candidates for the May 2 Rhea County primaries are set, but the election isn’t likely to generate a lot of excitement because out of a possible 24 primary elections, only three are contested this year.
The race for sheriff has generated the most interest for many years, and this year will be no exception. Both primaries are contested. Sheriff Mike Neal of Dayton is seeking a second four-year term, but he first must get past fellow Democrat Jim Rice of Spring City.
In the race for the Republican nomination, Spring City Police Officer and former Rhea County sheriff’s deputy Robert Dillard of Spring City filed his qualifying petition early, and fellow Spring Citian Dean Cranfield, a sergeant with the sheriff’s department, filed his papers just before the deadline, according to Rhea County Administrator of Elections Cathy Lauer. Cranfield had to resign after 28 years in law enforcement in order to run for sheriff.
The only other contested race on the ballot will be the Democratic nomination for trustee. Neva Tyler Webb of Dayton, who is chief deputy to the retiring trustee, Freddie Morgan, hopes to succeed her long-time boss. Tonda Payne Thompson of Spring City is also seeking the Democratic nomination for trustee. This is her second political campaign; she ran unsuccessfully in 2002 as the Democratic candidate for register of deeds.
All of the other candidates on the ballot will have a free ride, at least through the May primaries.
Linda Hinds of Dayton, former Rhea County School Board member and wife of Rhea County Republican Party Chairman Elmer Hinds, is unopposed for the Republican nomination for trustee.
Democratic incumbent Jimmy McKenzie and his Republican challenger Gary Fritts, both of Dayton, are unopposed in their respective primaries for General Sessions Court judge but will meet in the Aug. 3 general election. Fritts serves as county attorney and ran unsuccessfully against McKenzie eight years ago.
Republican Gladys Best of Dayton has served an unprecedented 44 years as Rhea County register of deeds and is back seeking another four-year term. Democrat Hurley Marsh of Dayton served many years on the Rhea County School Board but is making his first bid for countywide office. Both Best and Marsh are unopposed in their respective primaries.
Circuit Court Clerk Regina Fisher Metts of Spring City is unopposed in the Democratic primary as she seeks a second term. Republican Dennis “Punkin” Akin of Dayton doesn’t have any competition in May and will face Fisher on Aug. 3.
County Clerk Linda Shaver of Dayton has already won re-election to her third term in essence. The Democrat has no opposition in either the primary or general election.
Democratic incumbents also swept all of the 12th Judicial District seats, so all these offices will feature familiar faces for another eight years. Circuit judges J. Curtis Smith (Dunlap), Buddy D. Perry (Winchester) and Thomas “Rusty” Graham (South Pittsburg), all Democrats, are all unopposed for re-election to their respective benches, as is Chancellor Jeffrey F. Stewart (Winchester). District Attorney General Mike Taylor (Dayton) and Public Defender Philip Condra (Whitwell) will also coast through both elections.
The 12th Judicial District includes Rhea, Bledsoe, Franklin, Grundy, Marion and Sequatchie counties.
The deadline for a candidate to withdraw his name from the ballot is Thursday at noon.
Rhea County residents have until March 31 to register to vote in the primary elections, and early voting will be held April 12-27 at the Rhea County Election Commission office, according to Assistant Administrator of Elections Teresa Snyder.
Commission races attract plenty of interest
By: John B. Carpenter
Source: The Herald-News
02-22-2006
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The Rhea County General Election on Aug. 3 is shaping up to be a little more interesting than the May 2 primaries. Although the nonpartisan candidates for county executive, county commission and school board have until April 6 to file qualifying petitions, 45 candidates have picked up qualifying petitions, and 17 have already returned their petitions.
Billy Ray Patton is seeking his third term as county executive and will face two Dayton challengers: Rhea County School Board Member Harold “Bimbo” McCawley and Ann Gabbert Bates, who ran unsuccessfully for state representative two years ago. All three candidates have returned their petitions.
The race to replace First District commissioner J.C. Fugate, who resigned earlier this month, will be an interesting one. Franklin “Hoochie” Thompson, Fugate’s hand-picked successor, has filed his petition, but he will likely face competition from Rhea County School Board Member John Mincy, Margaret Bott, who is director of the Rhea County Adult Education program, and Thomas C. Poole Jr., who have all picked up petitions.
Terry Broyles is seeking his third term as county commissioner representing the Second District. He will likely be opposed by School Board Member B.J. McCoy, Spring City Commissioner Jeff “Bimbo” Rhear and Scott Heath. Rhear is the only candidate to return a petition thus far.
In the Third District, Harold Fisher has already served 20 years on the commission and is seeking another four. He will likely be challenged by Stacy Harris and Jeff Hill. Harris is the only candidate to return a petition so far.
Fourth District Commissioner Bradley Varner is seeking re-election to his second term, but he is being challenged by Gene Dunn, who previously served 24 years on the commission. Other challengers include Marty Revis and Tom Smith. Dunn and Revis are the only two candidates to have returned petitions.
Fifth District Commissioner Tom Davis is seeking his third four-year term and will likely be challenged by Perry Heath. Only Davis has returned his petition.
Three candidates are vying for the currently vacant Sixth District seat on the commission, vacated by Jimmy Barnes, who resigned, although the commission intended to fill the seat last night. Ronnie Ray, Doyle Montgomery and Eddie Francisco have all picked up petitions, but only Ray has returned his.
Seventh District has attracted the most interest with six potential candidates. Ronnie Raper is seeking his fourth consecutive term, but he is challenged by 18-year-old Theodore Engel III, Rhea County Assistant Fire Chief Chuck Kinney, Barry Cochran, Jim Silcox and Raymond Shipley. Only Kinney and Silcox had returned petitions.
In the Eighth District Dennis Tumlin is seeking his second term, but he faces competition from Kerry Nabors, Chuck Harvey, Danny Creason and Rosemary Davis, the only woman currently running. Nabors resigned his seat on the Rhea County Election Commission on Feb. 9 in order to run for this office, and he is the only candidate to thus far return his petition.
Ninth District Commissioner Paul Tallent is seeking a second term but has to defeat Ralph Rice, who served 12 years as the Ninth District’s commissioner, Don Pickrell, who ran unsuccessfully for state representative in 2004, William C. Cole Jr. and Tracy Taylor. Rice, Taylor and Tallent have all returned petitions.
In the races for five school board seats, Ron Masterson is currently the only candidate for the First District seat, incumbent Maxine Moffett and Steve Fisher are vying for the Third District seat, no one has yet filed to run for the Fifth District seat, Michael Arnold and Dale Harris are both seeking the Seventh District seat and Billy Davault is currently unopposed to re-election to the Ninth District seat. Only Davault had returned his petition at the end of last week.
John Carpenter can be reached at jcarpenter@xtn.net.
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