Three Parish Council races emerge in early qualifying

Three St. Mary Parish Council races in the Oct. 14 primary took shape in the first hour of qualifying Tuesday.

Candidates for sheriff and clerk of court followed through on long-announced plans to run, while two of the three people who have announced plans to run for the State Senate qualified.

In Parish Council District 10, one of the three at-large districts where candidates are elected by a parishwide vote, former Councilman Peter Soprano of Franklin qualified early Tuesday. The seat is currently held by Gwendolyn Hidalgo of Bayou Vista, who chairs the council. She had not qualified by 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

In District 1, Herbert "H.B." Bell of Baldwin qualified to run against incumbent the Rev. Craig Mathews of Jeanerette.

District 4 incumbent Scott Ramsey of Bayou Vista has announced that he won't run for a second term. On Tuesday, recreation board member Javon Charles of Bayou Vista qualified along with David W. Hill, also of Bayou Vista.

Incumbents J Ina of Franklin, Patrick Hebert of Berwick, James Bennett of Morgan City and Mark Duhon of Amelia qualified early Tuesday.

No one qualified in the opening hour for parish president. Former state Rep. Sam Jones has said he plans to run for that office. Incumbent David Hanagriff is term-limited.

Chief Deputy Gary Driskell qualified to run to succeed Sheriff Blaise Smith, who has announced that he is stepping down.

Former Judge Greg Aucoin signed up to run for clerk of court, the office from which longtime Clerk Cliff Dressel is departing.

Assessor Jarod Longman qualified to run for re-election. No one has qualified for coroner, the office now held by Dr. Eric Melancon.

Another incumbent, state Sen. Bret Allain, R-Franklin, is term-limited after 12 years of representing District 21. Two candidates who have announced plans to run qualified Tuesday: Robert Allain, R-Franklin, and former parish Chief Administrative Officer Henry C. "Bo" LaGrange, R-Patterson. Morgan City businessman Stephen Swiber has also announced plans to run.

State. Rep. Beryl Amedee, R-Gray, qualified to run for re-election from District 51. Her district comes into east St. Mary.

The rest of the parish is in District 50, represented by Vincent St. Blanc, R-Franklin. He had not qualified by 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Qualifying runs through Thursday.