Four incumbents get terms; Holly Creek man files for governor

It proved to be an historic week for McCurtain County elections.

Yes, four incumbents – District Judge Emily Maxwell, District Attorney Mark Matloff, Associate District Judge Tim Ragland, and county treasurer Brad Box – all won new four-year terms because they drew no opponents during the three-day candidacy filing period that ended Friday.

But similar things have happened before.

One historic occurrence was that no Democrats filed for local offices, believed to be the first time that has ever happened in the county.

Also, a man from Holly Creek filed for governor.

Four Republicans and one Democrat filed for District 1 state representative. Candidates filing by the end of the day Friday were Wes Watson, Austin Loard, George Phipps, and Chris White, all Republicans, plus Kurt Reisdorf, a Democrat.

In the race for county commissioner in county District 1 (not the same as the representative district), candidates are John Wayne Williams, Clint Bray, Dale Broussard, Cristal Joslin, and Jesse Jones, all Republicans, plus Zeb Sims, an Independent.

With Sims filing as the sole Independent, he will appear on the November general election ballot to face the candidate chosen by county Republicans during the June 16 primary, and if needed, the Aug. 25 runoff.

In county District 3, there are six candidates for commissioner: Robert Beck, John “Pee Wee” Lowery, Mitch Bishop, Dug Elledge, Bill Moore, and Johnny Caldwell.

Justin Graham and Justin McCarrell, both Republicans, filed for assessor.

County election board records show registered Republicans now outnumber Democrats more than two to one in the county, with 10,845 registered Republicans, 4,359 Democrats, and 2,381 Independents.

The local man filing for Oklahoma governor was Calup Anthony Taylor, 49, a Republican.