Green challenging Swan for House seat; many file for office on first day of filing

State Rep. Kathy Swan will face Democratic opposition in her bid for re-election this year.

The Cape Girardeau Republican is opposed by Democratic candidate Renita Green, pastor of St. James AME Church, a historically black church in Cape Girardeau.

Both candidates filed for the 147th District seat Tuesday, the first day of filing for county, state and federal offices for the August primary and general elections in Missouri.

The House district takes in an area primarily covering the city of Cape Girardeau.

Republicans Tony LaForest of Jackson and Barry Hovis of Cape Girardeau filed as candidates for District 146 state representative, the Missouri Secretary of State's Office reported on its website.

The incumbent, Donna Lichtenegger, R-Jackson, is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.

The district encompasses most of Cape Girardeau County.

In District 145, state Rep. Rick Francis, R-Perryvile, faces a challenge from Democrat Ronald Pember of Fredericktown, Missouri. Pember ran unsuccessfully against Francis in the 2016 election. The district covers Bollinger and Madison counties and part of Perry County.

Scott City attorney Rebecca Reed filed as a Democratic candidate for judge of the 33rd Circuit of Scott and Mississippi counties.

Reed filed as a Democrat, setting up a potential primary contest with Judge David Dolan, who also is a Democrat.

Dolan had not filed as of late Tuesday afternoon, according to the Scott County Clerk's Office.

As for the 8th District congressional seat, U.S. Rep. Jason Smith once again will face challengers. Democrat Kathy Ellis of Festus, Missouri, and Libertarian Jonathan Shell of Fredericktown filed Tuesday with the Secretary of State's Office.

Shell ran unsuccessfully for the congressional seat two years ago.

As of late Tuesday afternoon, Smith had not filed.

In heavily Republican Cape Girardeau County, only GOP candidates filed the first day. They included Division 4 Associate Circuit Judge Scott Lipke, Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy, County Clerk Kara Clark Summers, Recorder of Deeds Drew Blattner, Prosecuting Attorney Chris Limbaugh and County Auditor Pete Frazier.

Charleen "Charlie" Biester filed as a candidate for circuit clerk. Barbara Gholson filed as a candidate for county collector.

Two candidates are vying to replace Gary Kamp as Division 3 associate circuit judge. Kamp is not seeking re-election.

The two candidates are assistant prosecuting attorney Frank Miller and Cape Girardeau attorney Brandon Cooper.

In Scott County, nine Democratic incumbents have filed for re-election. They include Associate Circuit Judge Division 4 Blake Pearson, Associate Circuit Judge Division 5 Scott Horman, Circuit Clerk Christy Hency, Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger, County Clerk Rita Milam, Recorder of Deeds Tara L. Mason, County Treasurer Glenda K. Enderle, Prosecuting Attorney Paul Boyd and Collector of Revenue Mark Hensley.

Burger, the presiding commissioner, faces a challenge from Democrat Chelsea Hale of Perkins, Missouri, in the August primary. Candidates John Graham, Jim Glueck and Will Yates have filed on the Republican side.

Boyd, the longtime prosecutor, faces a general election challenge from Republican Amanda Oesch, a Benton, Missouri, area attorney.

In Bollinger County, five candidates have filed for the post of circuit clerk, election officials said. They are Democrat Cindy Yount of Marble Hill, Missouri, and Republicans Dana Mayfield of Patton, Missouri, Marethe VanGennip and Donna Wells of Marble Hill and Robby Bailey of Millersville.

Presiding Commissioner Travis Elfrink faces a Republican primary challenge from Leo Arnzen of Leopold, Missouri.

Associate Circuit Judge Scott Thomsen, County Clerk Brittany Hovis, Recorder of Deeds Dana Fulbright and Collector Sonya Fulton have all filed for re-election. They are all Republicans.

Scott Minson, a Marble Hill Republican, has filed for treasurer.

No candidate filing information was available late Tuesday afternoon from the Perry County Clerk's Office. A member of the office staff said County Clerk Jared Kutz was out of the office and no one else was authorized to disclose such information.

The filing period runs through March 27.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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