Published: December 03, 2007 11:46 pm      

Candidates begin filing for office

GREENVILLE — Few declare intentions on first day



There were only a few candidates rushing Monday to officially kick off their campaigns on the first day of filing for the Democratic and Republican party primaries next March.

Of the Hunt County offices to be determined, Richard Phillips of Celeste filed seeking the Republican Party nomination for Hunt County Commissioner Precinct 1, currently held by the incumbent, Kenneth Thornton.

Sandy Lane Berger was the first candidate to file for the Republican Party nomination for the office of Hunt County Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1, currently held by the incumbent Justice of the Peace Kenneth Newman Peters.

Neither Thornton nor Peters have yet announced whether they are seeking re-election.

Candidates seeking county offices file with their respective parties, while candidates for any office involving two or more counties file with the headquarters of the state political parties in Austin.

There was no word of any Hunt County Democratic Party candidates filing on the first day, and no Democratic Party candidates had filed for any regional office Monday.

One of the announced GOP candidates for the office of U.S. House of Representatives for District 4 did file Monday. Kevin George of Celina submitted 554 signatures of district voters as an alternative to paying a $3,125 fee to be registered as a congressional candidate.

Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall of Rockwall is expected to seek re-election to the House district, which covers the northeast corner of Texas, including all of Hunt and Rockwall counties and most of Collin County.

Hall has two other announced opponents challenging him for the Republican Party nomination; former three-term Frisco Mayor Kathy Seei and Gene Christensen, also of Celina.

Glenn Melancon of Sherman is the sole candidate to have announced he is seeking the Democratic Party nomination for the office, but did not file Monday.

Filing will continue until Jan. 3 for the March 4, 2008 primary elections.