STATE SEN. HOWARD SAYS HE'S PLEASED WITH FINAL BOUNDARIES OF 25TH DISTRICT

DEXTER - State Sen. Jerry Howard, D-Dexter, says he is pleased with his new 25th District and looks forward to running in it next year for a full four-year term.

Howard was elected senator in December 1990, after incumbent Stephen Sharp resigned to take a circuit judgeship in Stoddard and Dunklin counties.

"I'm very pleased with the way my district is set up," said Howard. "My setup is far better than what some of the other senators are going to have to run in."

Last week a panel of state appeals court judges finished a new map of the state's 34 Senate districts. It adds New Madrid and Wayne counties to the 25th District of Stoddard, Pemiscot, Dunklin and Butler.

Two other counties from the old 25th - Ripley and Carter - have been taken out.

Howard said he expects to run well in the new district.

"You never know, but I don't foresee anything right now that should cause me great concern," he said. "My biggest concern right now is that the economics of the whole area is so depressed. We have a serious economic situation down here to deal with."

Howard was elected state representative from a district that included Wayne County in 1972 and 1974. From 1969 to 1973, Howard lived in Piedmont, the largest city in Wayne County.

"I still have a lot of names in the back of my mind over there," said Howard. "I think I can run well there."

Howard said he has not spent a great deal of time in New Madrid County but "I feel like they share our concerns."

The senator said he would draw on the advice of Rep. Gene Copeland, D-New Madrid, the senior member of the General Assembly, in dealing with his new county.

"Certainly Gene Copeland can offer me a great deal of assistance in helping to keep me on the straight and narrow as far as his county is concerned," said Howard. "Together we can do a whole lot of things for all of Southeast Missouri."

One potential challenger to Howard for his Senate seat next year is state Rep. Joe Driskill, D-Poplar Bluff, who has represented Wayne County in the House for nine years.

Had Ripley County, also part of Driskill's present district and his home base, remained in the district Driskill might have been more inclined to take on Howard. But Driskill maintained there are more Democratic votes in Wayne County and he has enjoyed good support in that county over the years.

Driskill said the final map is about what he had expected. "At this point I'm still weighing my options," he said. "I am still looking to decide something here shortly."

The first day of filing for offices on the 1992 ballot is Jan. 14.