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News-Leader - Finance reports reveal potential candidates

By admin, Section Brantley in The News
Posted on Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 12:14:09 PM EST

The race for Greene County Sheriff is already heating up.

by Amos Bridges, News-Leader

Candidates won't begin filing for local 2008 elections until February, but campaign finance reports filed with the state offer a preview of potential contenders.
Local seats up for grabs include Greene County sheriff, two seats on the county commission and one judgeship. In addition, all of the county's seats on the Missouri House of Representatives will be on the ballot.

All but two races -- those for sheriff and 136th District state representative -- feature incumbents.

Sheriff Jack Merritt has said he will not run again and Rep. B.J. Marsh (R-135) is barred from running by term limits.

"Those will probably be some of the races to watch here locally," said Cindy Stein, chairwoman of the Greene County Republican Party. "Any time those open seats creep up, it gets interesting."

Two candidates already have formed committees to run for sheriff on the Republican ticket.

Jim Arnott, the department's chief deputy, is holding his first fundraiser tonight. Also running is Mark Webb, who retired as a lieutenant in the Springfield Police Department in 2005.

Stein said Bob Lawson Jr. -- recently appointed to take over when Circuit Judge Miles Sweeney retires Nov. 12 -- likely will seek to retain the seat in 2008.

County Commissioners Harold Bengsch and Roseann Bentley have committees to seek re-election, as well.

Local Democrats are seeking candidates to run against all three, said Craig Hosmer, chairman of the county committee.

"We've got a candidate committee that talks to people and tries to get them to run," said Hosmer. "We've talked to some people who are interested in the associate commissioners positions."

Democrats likely will field a candidate for sheriff, as well, he said. Traditionally a tough race for the party to win, a contentious Republican primary could better the odds for a Democrat, Hosmer said.

Arnott and Webb, the current Republican candidates, together boast more than four decades of law enforcement experience.

Arnott, 40, of Fair Grove, joined the sheriff's department as a reserve deputy in 1988 before being hired full time in 1989. Promoted to chief deputy in January 2006, he currently oversees the administration and operations of the sheriff's department and served as interim served as interim jail director last year.

Webb, 49, of Strafford, served 27 years in the Springfield Police Department before retiring in 2005 to pursue a law degree.

During his time on the police force he was a homicide detective, oversaw a gang task force grappling with Chicago Gangster Disciples in the early '90s and headed the Community Oriented Policing program.

State House races

Hosmer and Stein both said their parties will attempt to field a full slate of candidates in local state House races. To date, only two races feature candidates with campaign committees from both parties.

In a repeat of the 2006 election, Democrat Nancy Hagan is seeking to oust incumbent Republican Charlie Denison from his seat in the 135th District.

First-term Rep. Charlie Norr (D-137) could face a primary battle with fellow Democrat Rob Brantley. Ron Day, a Republican, also has created a committee to run for the seat.

Republican Eric Burlison has created a committee to replace Marsh in the 136th District. Marsh, meanwhile, has changed the name of his committee to indicate a possible run for state Senate in 2010.

In the statewide arena, Springfield resident C. Anthony Ince has formed a committee to run for governor as a Republican.

Ince has previously run for state and local offices as a Libertarian under the name Chris Davis.

Source

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