Three Northeast Arkansas Democrats switch to GOP

 

The first day of campaign filing is typically “Moving Day” as candidates decide to make their move and get their names on the ballot.

However, Monday was another kind of “Moving Day” as three longtime Democrats decided to file as Republicans for county offices in Northeast Arkansas.

Greene County Treasurer Debbie Cross filed Monday as a Republican to run for another term, while Poinsett County Treasurer Tammie Stanford also filed to run as a Republican at the county seat in Harrisburg.

Longtime Poinsett County Justice of the Peace Carmack Sanders also filed for another term in office, this time as a Republican.

Both counties – which have been historically Democratic – have turned red in recent years. Republicans won the county judge, county clerk and sheriff’s races in Greene County in 2014, as well as a majority on the Quorum Court for the first time since Reconstruction.

Republican Teresa Rouse also won the Poinsett County Clerk’s office in 2014, with Republicans winning the seat for the first time ever.

Also, a longtime Democrat in Craighead County filed Monday to run as an independent.

Justice Barbara Weinstock of Jonesboro turned in paperwork to run in District 5, for another two-year term.

CRAIGHEAD COUNTY

The courthouse in Jonesboro was busy Monday as a three-person race developed for both county judge and collector, while a two-person race for circuit clerk appeared.

Republicans Jeff Presley and Garry Meadows filed for county judge, as did incumbent Ed Hill, D-Jonesboro.

With the filing Monday, Meadows leaves open a justice of the peace seat in District 11.

Republicans Wes Eddington and Andrew Stricklin filed Monday for collector as well as incumbent Democrat Marsha Phillips.

Incumbent Republican Circuit Clerk Candace Edwards turned in paperwork to seek a second term. Also filing Monday was Democrat Lesia Couch.

Other incumbents to file Monday were:

• Sheriff – Marty Boyd, D.
• County Clerk – Kade Holliday, R.
• Treasurer – Terry McNatt, D.
• Assessor – Hannah Towell, R.
• Eastern District Deputy Sheriff – Garland Tipton, D.

Justice of the Peace candidates to file Monday were:

• JP 2 – Fred Bowers – D
• JP 3 – Anthony Martin – R
• JP 4 – Billie Sue Hoggard – R
• JP 5 – Barbara Weinstock – I
• JP 6 – Max Render – D
• JP 7 – Richard Rogers – R
• JP 8 – David Tennison – R
• JP 10 – Steve Cline – R
• JP 11 – Bob Blankenship – D
• JP 12 – Terry Couch – R, Jeff Wisham – I
• JP 13 – Aaron Harris – R, Ray Kidd – D

WASHINGTON COUNTY

On the other end of the state, several races developed Monday in Washington County.

Rep. Micah Neal, R-Springdale filed to run for Washington County Judge as did Democrat Joshua Mahony of Fayetteville.

Both Neal and Mahony are running for the seat being vacated by County Judge Marilyn Edwards, D-Fayetteville.

The former lawmaker, who is not running for county judge next year, is instead running for justice of the peace in district 9.

Incumbent Eva Madison, D-Fayetteville, also filed Monday to run in District 9.

Other incumbents to file Monday were County Clerk Becky Lewallen, R-Fayetteville; Circuit Clerk Kyle Sylvester, R-Springdale; Treasurer Bobby Hill, R-Fayetteville; Assessor Russell Hill, R-Springdale; Sheriff Tim Helder, D-West Fork and Coroner Roger W. Morris, D-Fayetteville.

OTHER MAJOR FILINGS

The following candidates also filed Monday for county seats around the state:

BRADLEY COUNTY

• County Judge – Sam B. St. John, R, Samuel Klay McKinney, R and Scott Taylor, R.
• Sheriff/Collector – Herschel Tillman, D.
• JP 2 – Eddie Wayne Parnell Sr., R.

CRAWFORD COUNTY

• County Judge – Dennis Gilstrap, R.
• Sheriff – Ron Brown, D.
• County Clerk – Teresa Campbell Armer, R.
• Circuit Clerk – Sharon L. Blount, R.
• Assessor – Lloyd Cole, R and Cliff Weldon, R.
• Collector – Kevin Pixley, R.
• Treasurer – Beverly Pyle, R.
• Coroner – Pam Wells, R.
• JP 6 – Mark Shaffer, R.
• JP 8 – Tia Woodruff, R.
• JP 10 – Jayson E. Peppas, R.
• JP 12 – Elaina Damante, R

CROSS COUNTY

• County Clerk – Melanie Winkler, D.
• Sheriff – Josh Orman, R and J.R. Smith, D.
• Collector – Debbie Davis, D.
• Coroner – James Terry Woodard, D.
• Treasurer – Karen McCorkle, D.
• Circuit Clerk – Rhonda Sullivan, D.
• Assessor – Sherri Williams, D.
• JP 4 – Glenda B. Vance, R.
• JP 5 – Gloria Ferguson Aldridge, I.
• JP 6 – Kevin S. Jumper, R and Michael E. Hess, I.
• JP 7 – Carl Loewer, R.
• JP 9 – Bobby D. Johnson, R and James C. Davis.

GREENE COUNTY

• Assessor – Jane Wheeler-Moudy, R.
• JP 5 – Eddie Rogers, R.

JACKSON COUNTY

• County Judge – Jeff Phillips, D.
• County Clerk – Melanie Clark, D.
• Collector – Kelly Walker, D.
• Assessor – Diann Ballard, D.
• Sheriff – David Lucas, D.
• Treasurer – Jamie R. Cason, D.
• JP 1 – Rusty Kinder, D.
• JP 7 – Jerry Mann, D.
• JP 9 – Robby J. Stewart, D.

PIKE COUNTY

• County Judge – Dewight Mack, D.
• County Clerk – Sandy Campbell, D.
• Circuit Clerk – Sabrina Williams, D.
• Assessor – Rebecca L. Alden, D.
• Treasurer – Loletia Pate Rather, D.
• Sheriff/Collector – Charlie Caldwell, D and Roger “Bimbo” Flemens, R.
• JP 5 – Jerry Fendley, D.

POINSETT COUNTY

• County Judge – Bobby Cantrell, D.
• Sheriff/Collector – Kevin Molder, R.
• Assessor – Fmr. Rep. John Hutchison, R and Joshua Bradley, D.
• Coroner – Butch Davis, D.
• JP 4 – J.C. Carter, D.
• JP 5 – Gary Anderson, D.
• JP 7 – Donnie Taylor, I.

POLK COUNTY

• County Judge – Brandon Ellison, R.
• Sheriff/Collector – Scott Sawyer, R and Mickey Simmons, R.
• County Clerk – Terri Harrison, D.
• Circuit Clerk – Michelle Heath Schnell, R, Wanda Smith, R and Debbie Scott, R.
• Treasurer – Tanya K. Fretz, I.
• Coroner – Richard W. Myhand, R.
• JP 1 – Ben Finley, R.
• JP 2 – Jim Neugent, I.
• JP 3 – Harold Coogan, I.
• JP 4 – Margo Kimp, D.
• JP 6 – Terry Terrell, I.
• JP 8 – Terry Scott, I.

SEVIER COUNTY

• Sheriff/Collector – Robert Gentry, D.
• Assessor – Judy A. Smith, D.
• Circuit Clerk – Kathy Smith, D.
• Treasurer – Risa Goodwin Krantz, D.
• JP 2 – Charles Keels, D.
• JP 3 – Roxy Ann Stephens, D.
• JP 6 – Angie Hughes-Walker, I.

ST. FRANCIS COUNTY

• County Clerk – Brandi Holley McCoy, D.
• JP 1 – Charles Jones, D.
• JP 8 – O.J. Gandy Jr., D.

WASHINGTON COUNTY

• Collector – Teresa Soares, R and Angela Wood, R.
• JP 1 – Tom Lundstrum, R.
• JP 5 – Joe Patterson, R.
• JP 6 – Lisa Ecke, R.
• JP 10 – Robert E. Dennis, R.
• JP 12 – Sue Madison, D.
• JP 13 – Joel Maxwell, R.
• JP 14 – Ann Harbison, D.
• JP 15 – Butch Pond, R.