Most county pols run unopposed for 2022

Only one of the dozen county positions up for election in 2022 will test an incumbent with an opponent.

Only two offices will have contested races in the March 1 Republican primary.

No one filed to run as a Democrat in the November election, so most of the county’s elected officials will win re-election to their jobs without contest.

Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Joy Dubose Simonton is the only incumbent facing a challenge as Candice Conroy Steele is running against her for the second time in 12 years, or three election cycles.

Dubose Simonton won the first time, in 2014.

Leo LaBauve III, Orange County’s Republican Party Chair, hosted the final list of politicians filing for the March 1 party primary Tuesday night at the local Republican Party headquarters on Strickland Drive.

Two incumbents have announced their pending retirements and will not be running.

The Precinct 2 Commissioner’s seat being vacated by Theresa Beauchamp is a hot commodity with five candidates seeking to replace her.

The primary battle between Chris Sowell, Shawn Hare, Matt Chandler, Jude Graffagnino and Bobby Lunsford is sure to wind up in a runoff.

The other office holder stepping into retirement is District Clerk Vickie Edgerly. Her deputy clerk, Anne Gerity Reed, is running unopposed for Edgerly’s job.

All other incumbents are running unopposed.

The list starts with County Judge John Gothia and continues with Precinct 4 Commissioner Robert Viator, 260th District Court Judge Steve Parkhurst,

County Court At Law Judge Mandy-White Rogers, County Clerk Brandy Robertson and County Treasurer Christy Khoury.

Also running unopposed are incumbents Justices of the Peace, Precinct 1’s Herschel Stagner, Jr., Precinct 2’s Chad Jenkins, and Precinct 4’s Rodney Price.