STODDARD SHERIFF STAVES OFF CHALLENGE; TREASURER DEFEATED

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Two-term Stoddard County Sheriff Steve Fish successfully fought off a challenge from Bloomfield Police Chief Rick Stanfield in the Democratic primary while incumbent Shirley Carney was defeated by Carla Knowles Moore Tuesday in the Democratic race for treasurer and ex-officio collector of Stoddard County.

Fish rolled up 2,801 votes to Stanfield's 2,045.

In the Republican primary for Sheriff, former Dexter police officer piled up 615 votes to win. Former Morehouse police chief Doug Triplett finished second with 448 votes followed by Jay Forkum's 145 votes.

Triplett was impeached in April because he was not living within the city limits, but he claims the city leaders got rid of him because he arrested people he wasn't supposed to.

The Democratic race for treasurer and ex-officio collector saw Moore nick the incumbent Carney 2,104-2,078, while Jim Long Sr., had 599 votes.

Moore will face unopposed Republican Kevin Pobst in the general election.

In the primary election for public administrator, Democrat Brenda "Sugarplum" Wilson defeated three candidates to earn the right to face Darla Grossman in the November primary. Grossman, the interim public administrator, was appointed in May when predecessor Dean Cooper died in office. It was too late for her to file as a Democrat, so she decided to qualify as an independent.

Wilson and her husband own Sugarplum Golf Cars in Bloomfield. She tallied 1,367 votes to narrowly defeat runner-up Jackie Gilles, who had 1,313. Teresa Driskill had 819 votes and Duane Kirby 799.

In the Democratic primary for 2nd District commissioner, incumbent Ray Coats easily defeated three opponents.

Coats had 1,353 votes to 644 for Charlie Parrish, 385 for Pam Dowdy and 71 for Gaylon Lillard.

In November, Coats will face Republican Truman "Butch" Waldrop, who was unopposed Tuesday.

Incumbent Frank Sifford was unopposed on the Democratic ticket for 1st District commissioner. His Republican opponent in November will be Elam "Sonny" Newsom, who defeated Grady Smith 325-220 in the Republican primary.

In the only contested races for township committeeman, Democrat Bob Blair defeated incumbent Luther Burns 481-477 in Castor Township, and C.W. "Dave" Crutcher beat Willard Adams 1,292-823 in the Liberty Township Democratic primary.