Early birds file for 2022 elections

As early voting for the Saturday, May 1, 2021 city and school board elections kept the Orange County Elections Office busy the past few weeks, two men filed to run for county office in September of 2022.

Former Orange County Precinct 3 Constable Mark Philpott and Mauriceville gun store employee Tim McCarver both turned in paperwork to designate campaign treasurers.

Philpott, while naming his wife Babette his treasurer on the form dated April 20, did not fill in the blank that says what office he intends to run for.

And he wasn’t letting any cat out of the bag Tuesday when asked his plans.

“Whenever I show up to pay my [filing] fees, it’s going to be a shocker,” he said.

McCarver is seeking the Orange County Precinct 2 Commissioner seat currently held by Theresa Beauchamp because “I’m tired of seeing Mauriceville neglected,” he said.

Appointing a campaign treasurer is the first step in running for office and required of candidates seeking to raise money for county, state and federal office. It’s not completely official until candidates file for a place on the ballot with their party and the deadline for that filing isn’t until Dec. 13.

The primary election for the November 1, 2022 election, of which the winners won’t take office until Jan. 1, 2023, is March 1 – more than 10 months away.

McCarver, 43, was first to file, on April 7. He said he’s announcing his candidacy early, “because I want to get it out there. I’m basically trying to do a grass-roots campaign.”

Philpott did not stand for reelection in 2020 and did not serve out his full term, retiring early in the summer, after Brad Frye won the March 2020 Republican primary against Sambo Carpenter, Jr.

“I’m retired, but I’m kind of young,” said Philpott, 56. “I’ve had people calling me here and there, so I figured ‘Why not?’ I want to step up and do what the citizens are asking me to do.”

He declined to say what that is, and hinted that not everyone talking to him wanted him to run for the same office.

County Judge John Gothia will be up for reelection in 2022 and he said Tuesday he does plan to run again.

Commissioner seats, Justices of the Peace and constables run by precinct, with a requirement being residing in the precinct you wish to serve.

Kirk Roccaforte will be up for re-election as Precinct 3 Commissioner in 2022, as will Precinct 3 JP Joy Dubose-Simonton.

Along with County Judge, other county-wide offices will be on the 2022 ballot: County Clerk, County Treasurer, County Court-At-Law Judge and District Clerk.

“Right now, I’m not going to disclose it,” Philpott said. “I’m going to sign up either in November or December and go pay my fees.”

During his nearly year-long retirement, Philpott said, “I’ve been cutting my grass, spending time with my family and grandkids, getting stuff done around the house.”

But a second and third query about his political intentions went unanswered.

“Ain’t no biggie,” he said. “But I’m looking forward to it.”

Beauchamp, a former Orange city council member, won election as a Commissioner in a landslide in November 2018 but only after she slipped by Mauriceville resident Barry Burton, the incumbent Precinct 2 Commissioner, in the March 2018 Republican Primary election by only two votes.

Tuesday she said she had not decided whether she’ll run again.

“I got agitated with the water department, so I got on the board [of the Mauriceville Municipal Utilities District] and now I’m president,” said McCarver, who works at TCB Tactical in Mauriceville, a gun store.

“We have things looking so much better I decided to get on Commissioners Court.”

McCarver vows not to spend a lot on his campaign.

“People are spending so much to get elected these days. I think I can get enough signatures so I don’t have to pay a filing fee.”