MOST ENCUMBENTS ESCAPE WITHOUT OPPOSITION

JEFFERSON CITY -- Several Southeast Missouri state legislators celebrated re-election to new terms last week with the close of filing, while others now know who they will be up against in efforts to win re-election.

For two other area legislators -- Herb Fallert and Dennis Ziegenhorn -- who earlier announced plans not to seek re-election, the close of filing this week meant there was no turning back on their decisions.

Fallert, D-Ste. Genevieve, who was first elected in 1982, sees a crowded field of candidates seeking his 155th District seat that includes Perry and Ste. Genevieve counties.

Four Democrats and three Republicans are running for Fallert's job. Democrats include Mel Thurman and Thomas Schaaf of Ste. Genevieve, and Ray Krahn and Dutch Schmidt of Perryville. Schmidt served two terms as Perry County sheriff before losing his re-election bid in 1992.

On the Republican side, candidates are Perry County Coroner Patrick Naeger of Perryville, Al Bohnert of Frohna and James Williams of St. Marys, who was defeated by Fallert in 1992.

In the 160th District now represented by Ziegenhorn, D-Sikeston, who was first elected in 1980, three candidates have filed. Ziegenhorn's district includes the city of Sikeston, Benton, Kelso, New Hamburg and a part of Scott City.

Democrats filing for the seat are Joe Heckemeyer of Sikeston, whose father is Circuit Judge Tony Heckemeyer and a former member of the House, and Jim Spooler of Route 1 Chaffee. On the Republican side, Josh Bill, a city councilman in Sikeston, has filed.

Area incumbents drawing opposition include: Reps. Jim Graham, R-Fredericktown; Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau; and Bill Foster, R-Poplar Bluff.

Securing new two-year terms already because they are not opposed are: Reps. David Schwab, R-Jackson; Mark Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff; Marilyn Williams, D-Dudley; Gene Copeland, D-New Madrid; Don Prost, D-Caruthersville; and Larry Thomason, D-Kennett.

Kasten, whose 158th District includes all of the city of Cape Girardeau except Ward 17, is challenged in her bid for a seventh term by Democrat Melinda (Benton) McCulley.

Graham, who represents the 106th District that includes Madison County, a small part of Bollinger County, and a large part of St. Francois County, is challenged for a third term. He is opposed by Democrat Don Weiland of Fredericktown.

Foster, who was elected last year from the 156th District to replace longtime Rep. Joe Driskill, who resigned to become director of the Department of Economic Development, is challenged by Marvin Bowles of Piedmont. Bowles is Wayne County's presiding commissioner. The district includes parts of Butler and Ripley counties, all of Wayne County, and the most populated areas of Bollinger County.

Among the area representatives winning new terms with the close of filing Tuesday was Copeland, whose 161st District includes a part of Scott City, Commerce, Mississippi County, and most of New Madrid County. Copeland is the senior member of the Missouri General Assembly, having won his first term in 1960. He has been elected 17 times.

Schwab, from the 157th District, and Thomason, from the 163rd District are unopposed for fourth terms; Williams from the 156th District, and Richardson from the 154th District, are without opposition for third terms; and Prost of the 162nd District will win a second term without opposition.

Two Southeast Missouri senators are in the middle of four-year terms: Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, from the 27th District, and Sen. Jerry Howard, D-Dexter, from the 25th District.

Sen. Danny Staples, D-Eminence, running from the 20th District, has two opponents in the Democratic primary and one in the general election. Democratic challengers are H.L. Peterson of Farmington and Dean Burk of DeSoto. The Republican candidate is Louise Falch of Fredericktown.