Five Mid-Missouri legislative incumbents apparently won re-election this week, because no one filed against them in either the Aug. 5 primary or the Nov. 4 general elections.
Tuesday at 5 p.m. was the deadline for political party candidates to file for statewide, congressional, legislative, county and judicial offices. Filing began on Feb. 25.
Those unopposed Mid-Missouri candidates are Republican Reps. Jay Barnes, Jefferson City; Caleb Jones, California; David Wood, Versailles; Rocky Miller, Lake Ozark; and Diane Franklin, Camdenton.
Incumbent Rep. Mike Bernskoetter, R-Jefferson City, gained a Democratic challenger last Friday afternoon, when Democrat Michael Eberle, Jefferson City, filed for the post.
Rep. Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, filed as a candidate for the state Senate's 26th District in Franklin and western St. Louis counties, leaving an open District 61 seat for three hopefuls: Tom Smith, D-Washington, and Republicans Justin Alferman, Hermann, and Allan Seals, New Haven.
Incumbent Tom Hurst, R-St. Thomas, has had a primary opponent since the first day - Bruce Sassman, Bland. The primary winner will be unchallenged in November.
In the Missouri Senate, incumbent Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, will face a challenge in the general election. Mollie Kristen Freebairn, Jefferson City, filed Monday morning as a Democratic challenger. There are no opponents from the Libertarian or Constitution parties.
The contest for the 10th District state Senate seat, that includes Callaway County, was set a month ago when current Reps. Jeanie Riddle, R-Mokane, and Ed Schieffer, D-Troy, both filed on the opening day. The new district was formed when districts were redrawn after the 2010 U.S. Census.
Incumbent Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla, drew a primary opponent - Bernard (Bernie) Mowinski, Sunrise Beach. But the winner of the Aug. 5 primary voting has no other filed opponent.
With Riddle's decision to run for the state Senate, her District 49 House seat is open, with Travis Fitzwater, R-Fulton - who filed on the first day - challenged by Larry G. Brown, D-Fulton, who filed Monday.
In area judicial races, incumbent Jodie C. Asel, R-Columbia, drew no opponent for the 13th Circuit Division 4 seat that serves Boone and Callaway counties.
And Phelps County Prosecutor John Beger, R-Rolla, is the only candidate who filed for 25th Circuit Division 2 seat. The seat had been held by Mary Sheffield, until she was named to the appeals court's Southern District.