DEADLINE FOR PRIMARY ELECTION IS TODAY

Five people have filed as candidates for the 8th District congressional seat, including incumbent Rep. Jo Ann Emerson.

The latest is businessman John Hendricks of Jackson, who filed on the Libertarian Party ticket. Hendricks filed last week.

In a statement issued Monday, Hendricks said third-party candidates can make a difference.

He said he opposes bigger government. The two major political parties both support bigger government, he said.

Hendricks joins Republican Emerson and three Democrats in the field of candidates for the Southeast Missouri congressional seat.

Today is the deadline for candidates to file for the August primary.

As of 4 p.m. Monday, 416 candidates had filed for offices ranging from state auditor to state Legislature and circuit judge to Congress.

Emerson, of Cape Girardeau, won election in 1996 to the 8th District seat previously held by her late husband, Bill Emerson.

The Democrats in the field are Gipsy resident Richard Kline, perennial candidate Thad Bullock of Cape Girardeau and Anthony J. Heckemeyer of Sikeston. Kline ran as a Republican two years ago.

Heckemeyer resigned as circuit judge in Scott and Mississippi counties to run for Congress.

As of Monday, it appeared the only primary race for the congressional seat will be on the Democratic ticket.

Cape Girardeau resident Andrew Ostrowski, who managed Kline's 1996 campaign, is among four Democrats running for the U.S. Senate. The leading Democratic candidate in that race is Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon.

U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond faces opposition from four others in his own party. The field also includes a Libertarian candidate.

A number of other contests have surfaced in state legislative races in Southeast Missouri.

State Sen. Danny Staples, D-Eminence, is challenged by Republican Ed Doughty of Farmington.

In the 155th House District, Rep. Patrick Naeger, R-Perryville, faces opposition from Diane Edwards, a Democrat from Brewer.

In the 159th District, Rep. Marilyn Williams, D-Dudley, faces a primary challenge from Democrat Forrest Jackson of Bloomfield.

In the 160th District, Rep. Joe Heckemeyer, D-Sikeston, faces a Republican challenge from Peter Myers of Sikeston.

Six House members from Southeast Missouri were unopposed for re-election.

They were state Reps. Mark Richardson and Bill Foster of Poplar Bluff, David Schwab of Jackson, Mary Kasten of Cape Girardeau, Denny Merideth of Caruthersville and Larry Thomason of Kennett.

Merideth was elected in a special election last year as an independent candidate from the 162nd District. He is running again as an independent candidate.

Thomason is a Democrat. The other unopposed incumbents are Republicans.

Democrat Betty Hearnes of Charleston is the only candidate to have filed for the 161st District seat. Rep. Gene Copeland, D-New Madrid, is retiring after serving in the state House since 1961.

Hearnes, wife of former governor Warren Hearnes, served as a state representative from the old 160th District from 1979 to 1988. Legislative district boundaries were later redrawn.

David Dolan, a Democrat from Sikeston, recently was appointed circuit judge for the 33rd Circuit to replace Heckemeyer. He is seeking to win election this fall to a full, six-year term.