Newton Citizen

Staff Reports

COVINGTON -- Qualifying for the July 31 Primary ended at noon Friday.

In Newton County, the hot race is the Board of Commissioners District 5 seat, being vacated by incumbent Tim Fleming. That race boasts six candidates, four Republican and two Democrat.

A few seasoned politicians are getting back into the game. Former county commissioner Ronnie Dimsdale qualified for the District 5 seat and former school board member and state legislator John Douglas is running for District 1. Also, former Board of Education member Ricky Corley is looking to regain his seat on the board. Here is a complete list of qualifying candidates for Newton:

Newton County

-- BOC Chairman

Republican: Keith Ellis

Democrat: Kathy Morgan (incumbent); Marcus Jordan

-- District 1

Republican: John Douglas; John Strauss

-- District 3

Republican: Kevin Wade

Democrat: Nancy Schulz (incumbent); Tony Flanagan

-- District 5

Republican: Levie Maddox; Ronnie Dimsdale; Wesley Dowdy; Jared Rutberg

Democrat: Philip Johnson; Marcello Banes

-- Sheriff

Republican: Philip Bradford; Bill Watterson

Democrat: Ezell Brown (incumbent)

-- Board of Education

District 2

Republican: Ricky Corley

Democrat: Eddie Johnson (incumbent)

-- District 4

Democrat: Almond Turner (incumbent); Franklin Perry

-- Coroner

Republican: Tommy Davis (incumbent)

Democrat: Robert Bradley

-- Clerk of Superior Court

Republican: Linda Hays

-- Probate Court JudgeDemocrat: Henry Baker

-- Tax Commissioner

Republican: Barbara Dingler

In the non-partisan races, judges Samuel Ozburn, Ken Wynne, Eugene Benton and Horace Johnson and District Attorney Layla Zon are unopposed. Chief Superior Court Judge John Ott is facing opposition from attorney Stephanie Lindsey.

Rockdale County

Thirteen candidates qualified this week for local nonpartisan seats on the Rockdale County Board of Education.

The following candidates qualified:

-- Post 1

Mandy North

Charcella Green

-- Post 2

Brad Smith (incumbent)

Patrick Coppock

Kimberly Baker

Timothy Williams

-- Post 3

Wales Barksdale (incumbent)

-- Post 4

Darrell Stephens

Sharon Pharr

-- Post 5

William "Tony" Dowdy

Cornell Brown

Willie Washington

Rodney J. Fanner

In Rockdale County, all incumbents are facing opposition. A list of qualifying candidates in partisan races is as follows:

-- BOC Chair

Republican: Jason A. Hill

Democrat: Richard Oden (incumbent); Brian Jenkins

-- Post 1

Republican: Samuel Smiley; Tom Harrison

Democrat: Oz Nesbitt (incumbent); Jerry Shepperd-- Magistrate Judge

Republican: Clarence R. Horne Jr.

Democrat: Phinia Aten

-- Clerk of Superior Court

Republican: Holly W. Bowie

Democrat: Ruth Wilson (incumbent)

-- Probate Court Judge

Republican: Lillis J. Brown (incumbent)

Democrat: Caycie Dix; Charles Mays Sr.

-- Coroner

Republican: Jo Carter Coggins

Democrat: George Levett Jr.

-- Sheriff

Republican: Jeff Wigington (incumbent)

Democrat: Donald Ferguson; Eric Levett

-- Tax Commissioner

Republican: Dan Ray (incumbent)

Democrat: R.J. Hadley

The judgeship being vacated by Superior Court Judge Sidney Nation is being sought by three candidates: Robert Mumford; Gary W. Washington; and Earnelle Winfrey.

State Offices

Newton and Rockdale both fall into 17th and newly formed 43rd state Senate districts. Candidates for the 17th District are incumbent Republican Rick Jeffares and Democrat Nelva Lee. In the 43rd District, incumbent Ron Ramsey Sr. has no opposition.

Newton and Rockdale also both fall into the 113th and 109th state House Districts. Qualifiers are:

-- District 109

Republican: Steve Davis (incumbent); Dale Rutledge

-- District 113

Democrat: Toney Collins; Pam Dickerson (incumbent); Sharon Sawyer

Additional Newton State House Districts:

-- District 112

Republican: Doug Holt (incumbent)

-- District 110

Republican: Andy Welch (incumbent)

Additional Rockdale County State House Districts:-- District 90

Democrat: Scott Hughes; Pam Stephenson (incumbent)

-- District 91

Democrat: Dee Dawkins-Haigler (incumbent)

-- District 92

Democrat: Tonya P. Anderson; Doreen Carter; Kathy L. Harvey; Sherri Len Washington; Doreen Williams

-- District 114

Republican: Tom Kirby (incumbent); Rod Upton

Congressional Districts

Rockdale and Newton both fall into Congressional Disrict 4, whose candidates are:

Republican: Greg Pallen; J. Chris Vaughn

Democrat: Courtney L. Dillard Sr.; Hank Johnson,Jr. (incumbent); Lincoln Nunnally

Newton also falls in District 10, where incumbent Paul C. Broun, M.D. faces opposition from fellow Republican Stephen K. Simpson.