Six Wood County races to be contested in March

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Wood County voters in the March 3 Republican primary will have contested races for six county positions.

The filing deadline passed at 6 p.m. Monday, and the most hotly contested race is for sheriff, with four candidates seeking the position.

There are also three candidates for county commissioner in Precinct One.

Constable positions in Precincts One and Three are also contested, as are the district judge and unexpired term for district attorney.

Though no Democrats filed locally, Wood County representatives at the state and federal level will face Democratic opponents in the general election in November.

Sheriff Tom Castloo is seeking a second term and has been challenged by Quitman Police Chief Kelly Cole, James Schaffner and Callie Lawrence.

Precinct One Commissioner Virgil Holland Jr. has drawn two challengers, Keith Gilbreath and JR Douglas.

Precinct One Constable Steve Bowser has drawn Billy Hill as his opponent.

Precinct Three Constable Gary Dixon will face John McQueen.

First-term District Judge Jeff Fletcher will face Brad McCampbell, the man he defeated for the seat in 2016.

Angela Albers is seeking to complete the two-year unexpired term for district attorney, after she was appointed to the vacant position in February.

Jodi Cox of Winnsboro has also filed.

The position was vacated by Jim Wheeler in the fall of  2018. He earned reelection but did not fill the post.

The unexpired term will be from Jan. 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2022.

Three Republican office holders drew no opposition in the primary: Tax Assessor-Collector Carol Taylor, Precinct Three Commissioner Mike Simmons and Precinct Two Constable Kelly Smith.

For Precinct Four Constable, incumbent Scott Price did not file, and Chase Glover is the lone candidate for the seat.

Cole Hefner of Mount Pleasant, who represents Wood County in the Texas House of Representatives, is seeking a second term and has no opposition in the Republican primary.

He did draw a Democratic opponent in November, Lawyanda Prince, also from Mount Pleasant.

State Senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola drew no opposition from his party for a second term but will face Audrey Spanko, also from Mineola, who filed for the seat as a Democrat.

U.S. Congressman Lance Gooden of Terrell has no challengers in the GOP Primary but drew one Democratic opponent in the general election, Carolyn Salter of Palestine.

For the State Board of Education, Kevin Ellis of Lufkin did not draw a Republican opponent but faces Democrat Brenda Davis of Honey Grove in November.

The primary ballot will also feature the candidates for president and for the United States Senate seat held by John Cornyn.

There are also a number of judgeships at the regional and state levels and one seat on the Texas Railroad Commission.

Early voting for the primaries will be held Feb. 18-28. The last day to register to be eligible to vote in the pimary is Feb. 3.

If any races do not get a clear winner (a candidate with more than 50 percent of the vote), the runoff would be held on Tuesday, May 26 between the top two vote getters.