By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Although there were only a few real surprises, the three-day qualifying period for the Oct. 22 general primary election brought a fair share of intrigue among several political races in the River Parishes.

High-profile races for parish president and sheriff will likely command the most attention in St. John the Baptist Parish, as incumbents Natalie Robottom and Wayne Jones each attracted competition.

Robottom, who won a special election in 2010 to complete the unfinished term of former Parish President Bill Hubbard, will face off against term-limited council member Ronnie Smith and former Parish President Nickie Monica. Jones, meanwhile, has three challengers, including former deputies Mike Tregre and Steven Guidry as well as LaPlace businessman Aaron Lions.

Another intriguing race will be the battle for Division A Council-at-Large, which pits current Councilman Lucien Gauff against Reserve resident Raydel Morris and council veteran Richard Dale Wolfe, who left the council last year for a job on the parish Housing Authority. All three men have held the position at one point in the past 11 months.

The most crowded race in the parish will be the District 1 council race in which six candidates will compete for the parish’s west bank seat held by longtime council member Haston Lewis of Edgard, who is not seeking re-election. There are also four races in St. John with just one candidate. Assessor Whitney Joseph, Coroner Christy Montegut and District 7 Councilwoman Cheryl Millet, all incumbents, each earned a new term in office, and first-time office-holder Larry M. Snyder, who took the District 6 council seat unopposed. The seat, which consists of the Cambridge and Colony subdivisions, is currently held by Smith, who could not run again.

In St. James Parish, newcomers Timothy “Timmy” Roussel and Rowdy Kennard Scott will face off for parish president as incumbent Dale Hymel will not seek re-election. St. James Sheriff incumbent Willy Martin garnered some late competition Thursday with Gramercy resident Lester Ezidore and Hester resident Glenn Louque joining the race.

There are also four races in St. James in which incumbent candidates have no competition. Assessor Glenn Waguespack, Clerk of Court Edmond E. Kinler Jr., Coroner Randall C. Poche and District 6 Councilman Ken Brass all won new terms of office.

In his bid for re-election in St. Charles Parish, V.J. St. Pierre garnered a last-minute challenger in the parish president’s race when Parish Councilman Billy Raymond Sr. qualified just a few minutes before the close of the registration period Thursday.

Raymond, a first-term councilman from Hahnville, had given no public indication he was interested in the parish’s top job. He qualified for re-election in District 1 on the first day of qualifying. According to the St. Charles Clerk of Court’s Office, Raymond’s qualification for parish president nullifies the earlier registration for the council seat.

Meanwhile, St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne, parish Coroner Brian Brogle and District 5 Councilman Larry Cochran drew no challengers and were re-elected automatically.

The complete list of candidates that will be on the Oct. 22 ballot follows:

State Races:

Judge, Court of Appeal 5th Circuit, 3rd District, Division A – Robert A. Chaisson, Democrat, and Madeline Jasmine, Democrat

BESE District 2 – Ferdinand Wallace Jr., Democrat; Louella P. Givens, Democrat; Kira Orange Jones, Democrat; and Pamela “Pam” Matus, Independent

BESE District 3 – Lottie Polozola Beebe, Republican and Glenny Lee C. Buquet, Democrat

Senator for Dist. 2 – Michael “Mike” Bell, Democrat; Elton Aubert, Democrat; George Grace Jr., Democrat; Zaine “The Queen” Kasem, Republican; Alfred “Al” Carter, Republican; and Troy E. Brown, Democrat

Senator for Dist. 18 – “Jody” Amedee, Democrat

Senator for Dist. 19 – Gary L. Smith, Democrat, and Garrett C. Monti, Republican

Dist. 56 Representative – Gregory A. Miller, Republican; G. “RAM” Ramachandran, Democrat; and Emile Garlepied, Republican

Dist. 57 Representative – Russ Wise, Independent; Randal Gaines, Democrat; Shane M. Bailey, Democrat; Olangee “OJ” Breech, Democrat; and Albert “Ali” Burl III, Democrat

Dist. 58 Representative – Gail Holland, Democrat; “Ed” Price, Democrat; Heurlin “Chris” Delpit, Democrat; and Dwayne “Gully” Bailey, Democrat

Dist. 81 Representative – Kevin Hull, Democrat; Clay Schexnayder, Republican; Gillis Windham, Republican; Don Wheat, Republican; and Laura O’Halloran, Republican

Dist. 92 Representative – “Tom” Willmott, Republican

St. John Parish:

Parish President – Natalie Robottom, Democrat; Nickie Monica, Republican; and Ronnie S. Smith, Democrat

Sheriff – Michael “Mike” Tregre, Democrat; Wayne L. Jones, Republican; Aaron Lions, Democrat; and Steven Guidry, Republican

Clerk of Court – Eliana DeFrancesch, Democrat; Monica Gant Moton, Democrat; and Marva A. Lumar, Democrat

Assessor – Whitney Joseph Jr., Democrat

Coroner – Christy Montegut, Democrat

Councilman-at-Large Division A – Lucien Gauff, Democrat; Richard Dale Wolfe, Democrat; and Raydel Morris, Democrat

Councilman-at-Large Division B – Jaclyn Hotard, Democrat and Nelson Guidry, Independent

District 1 Council – Carolyn “Cat” Johnson, Democrat; Arthur “Tat” Johnson, Democrat; “Art Dokie” Smith, Democrat; Brock “Big Real” Batiste, Democrat; Keith Miller, Democrat; and Norward “Norm” Johnson Jr., Democrat

District 2 Council – Ranney Wilson, Democrat; Demetria Robinson Carter, Democrat; “Danny” Millet, Democrat; and Warren J. Torres Jr., Democrat

District 3 Council – LaToya Julien, Democrat; Regan Tyler, Democrat; and Lennix “Tweet” Madere Jr., Democrat

District 4 Council – Marvin “Butch” Perrilloux, Democrat; Sandy West, Democrat; and Matthew Ory, Democrat

District 5 Council – Damon K. Davis, Democrat; Clifford Hebert, Republican; and Michael P. Wright, Republican

District 6 Council – Larry Snyder, Democrat

District 7 Council – Cheryl Millet, Democrat

St. James Parish:

Sheriff – Willy Martin, Democrat, and Lester M. Ezidore, Democrat

Clerk of Court – Edmond Kinler Jr., Democrat

Assessor – Glenn Waguespack, Democrat

Coroner – Randall C. Poche, Democrat

Parish President – Timothy “Timmy” Roussel, Democrat, and Rowdy Kennard Scott, Democrat

District 1 Council – Alvin “Shark” St. Pierre, Democrat, and Denesia “Dee” Batiste, Democrat

District 2 Council – Jason Amato, Republican, and Nathaniel “Nat” Jones, Democrat

District 3 Council – Wilson F. Malbrough, Democrat, and Terry McCreary, Democrat

District 4 Council – Ralph Patin, Democrat and Persell Stewart Jr., Democrat

District 5 Council – Charles “I Spy” Ketchens, Democrat; Larry N. Clarke, Independent; and Edwin “Peanuckle” Whittington, Democrat

District 6 Council – “Ken” Brass, Democrat

District 7 Council – James “Jimmy” Brazan, Democrat; Kenneth “Stucky” Reulet, Independent; and Donald J. Nash, Democrat

St. CharlesParish:

Sherriff – “Greg” Champagne, Republican

Clerk of Court – Charles “Charlie” Oubre, Democrat; Fenwick A. “Fenn” Swann III, Democrat; and Lance Marino, Republican

Assessor – Terry Authement, Republican, and Tab Troxler, Republican

Coroner – Brian Brogle, Republican

Parish President – V.J. St. Pierre, Democrat, and Billy N. Raymond Sr., Democrat

Council-at-Large Division A – Carolyn Schexnaydre, Democrat

Council-at-Large Division B – Kenny “Gatorman” Schmill, Independent, and Clayton “Snookie” Faucheux, Republican

District 1 Council – Billy N. Raymond Sr., Democrat; Michael L. Dawson, Republican; and Terrell D. Wilson, Democrat

District 2 Council – Shelley Tastet, Democrat, and Carl Cantrelle Jr., Independent

District 3 Council – Wendy Benedetto, Republican, and Benny Jones, Independent

District 4 Council – Stanley J. Hebert, Independent; Paul J. Hogan, Republican; and Jason Richard, Republican

District 5 Council – Lawrence “Larry” Cochran, Democrat

District 6 Council – Eric Stumpf, Republican and Traci Ackerman-Fletcher, Independent

District 7 Council – Bryan Bedi, Republican, and Dennis Nuss, Republican