Aspiring to office, candidates for county races fill hallway at 8 a.m.
By: Darrell Todd Maurina
Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 9:45 am
Prosecutor Deborah Hooper and county clerk candidate Brent Bassett turn in nomination papers Tuesday morning.
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 23, 2010) — Candidates and some of their spouses filled the hallway outside Pulaski County Clerk Diana Linnenbringer’s office shortly before 8 a.m. Tuesday morning to sign nomination papers to run for the Republican or Democratic nominations for county offices.
Only three Democrats turned in papers early Tuesday, all of them incumbents: Presiding Commissioner Don McCulloch, Circuit Court Clerk Rachelle Beasley and Associate Circuit Judge Colin Long. All are Waynesville residents.
On the Republican side, there will be at least two contested primary races. Incumbent Prosecuting Attorney Deborah Hooper of Waynesville is being challenged by Jeff Thomas of Dixon. Pulaski County Clerk Diana Linnenbringer has announced that she’s not running for re-election, but both her assistant clerk, Whitney Medlin of Crocker, St. Robert resident Brent Bassett, and Richland resident Rebecca Reid are seeking the Republican nomination for that job.
Other Republicans filing are Gene Newkirk of St. Robert, who if he wins the Republican nomination in August would face McCulloch or another Democratic nominee; Sue Rapone of Waynesville, who is currently the deputy public administrator but is seeking the post currently held by Pulaski County Treasurer Morris Roam, a Crocker Democrat who hasn’t yet filed; and incumbent Pulaski County Collector Terri Mitchell of Richland.
All candidates who turn in their papers on the first day of filing draw a random number to determine ballot positioning, but candidates have until March 30 to file and those who file after today will be placed on the ballot in the order in which they file for office.
