The Executive Summary: Candidate filing deadlines pass in Illinois and Texas

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December 12, 2013

Edited by Greg Janetka

This edition of The Executive Summary features a look at the first candidate filing deadlines that recently passed in Illinois and Texas. Utah, meanwhile, got a new interim Attorney General, Virginia Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe began naming his cabinet, officials in Colorado, Indiana and Kansas resigned, and 2014 races heated up across the country.

Illinois kicks off candidate filing season

The first official lineup of candidates for the 2014 election season came to light in Illinois last week with the passing of the state’s candidate filing deadline on December 2, the first in the nation. Incumbents are seeking election in four of the six races, and all will face at least one primary challenger.

Six state executive positions are up for election in 2014 in the state of Illinois: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer and comptroller.

The two incumbents not running for re-election to their current posts are Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon (D), who is running for state comptroller, and state treasurer Dan Rutherford (R), who is pursuing the Republican nomination for governor along with a crowded field of hopefuls looking to unseat embattled Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn.

The primary election is scheduled for March 18, 2014.

For a full listing of candidates see Illinois state executive official elections, 2014

Plethora of candidates file in Texas

With only one of the seven statewide officials seeking re-election next year in Texas, a wealth of candidates came forth. A total of 60 candidates filed for the offices - 26 Republicans, 11 Democrats, 16 Libertarians and 7 Greens. The offices up for election include governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner and railroad commissioner.

Republicans will see primaries in all seven races, with the most attention thus far focused on the four men seeking to be lieutenant governor. All high profile candidates, the nomination will be a fight between incumbent David Dewhurst, state Sen. Dan Patrick, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples. Democrats will face primaries in three races - governor, agriculture commissioner and railroad commissioner

The primary election is scheduled for March 4, 2014. Libertarian candidates will be determined during the party's convention on April 12, 2014.[1]

For a full listing of candidates see Texas state executive official elections, 2014

Appointments/Resignations

Interim Attorney General takes office in Utah

Acting Utah Attorney General Brian Tarbet

Brian Tarbet took over as interim Attorney General of Utah on December 3.. A career military man who has served as General Counsel within the attorney general's office since January of this year, Tarbet ascended to the top post following John Swallow's resignation.[2]

Gov. Gary Herbert (R) will appoint a new permanent attorney general from a list of three choices given to him by the Republican State Central Committee. They are scheduled to meet December 14. Whoever is named to the post will have to run for election in 2014 to serve out the remaining two years of Swallow's term.[3] Tarbet is one of seven candidates running for the position.[4]

The other candidates are as follows:[5]

  • Bret Rawson - Fraternal Order of Police attorney
  • Sean Reyes - Swallow's 2012 primary election opponent
  • Michael Wilkins - former Utah Supreme Court Justice
  • Scott Burns - former Iron County Attorney
  • Michelle Mumford - the assistant dean of admissions at the BYU law school
  • Robert Smith - Director of BYU International Center of Law and religious studies

Kansas shakeup

Former Secretary of Agriculture Dale Rodman
Resigned Corporation Commission Chair Mark Sievers

The state government of Kansas is dealing with a double dose of departures this week. On Dec. 9, 2013, brought the news of Kansas Corporation Commission Chairman Mark Sievers' resignation, and agriculture secretary Dale Rodman's retirement took effect the following day.

Rodman's retirement was expected, and Kansas Governor Sam Brownback (R) had already lined up a replacement -- deputy secretary Jackie McClaskey -- to take over as head of the Kansas Department of Agriculture upon his scheduled departure date. Rodman was among Brownback's first appointments when he became governor in 2011, and he said he only ever intended to serve a few years as secretary; he owns a retirement home in Texas. Rodman will, however, retain his elected role as chair of the Board of Directors of the Kansas Bioscience Authority.[6][7][8] As of December 10, McClaskey is responsible for the department charged with overseeing all operations within the state's agriculture sector.[9]

Less predictable than Rodman's departure, though not altogether shocking under the circumstances, was the announcement of Mark Sievers' resignation from the state corporation commission. Sievers was appointed to Kansas' regulatory agency in 2011 and became its chair in May of that year. His term is valid through March 2015, but he has decided to leave office early, on the heels of a tumultuous year in the chairmanship. Despite the well-publicized issues surrounding his service on the commission, Sievers cited the desire to spend more time with his wife and family as his reason for stepping down. He will remain in the position until a replacement can be appointed to serve out the rest of his term.[10][11] Brownback will select the new chair early next year.

Incoming Virginia Secretary of Commonwealth named

Virginia Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe (D) named the first members of his cabinet. Among them was Levar Stoney as the new Virginia Secretary of State. Stoney, who will assume the role when McAuliffe is sworn-in in January 2014, served as deputy campaign manager of Terry McAuliffe's 2013 gubernatorial run and has advised McAuliffe since 2010. He previously served as executive director of the Democratic Party of Virginia and was political director for Creigh Deeds' 2009 gubernatorial campaign.[12][13]

Colorado Public Service Commissioner resigns

Outgoing Colorado PSC James Tarpey

In November, over three years ahead of schedule, James Tarpey resigned from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.[14] This week, Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) named former Republican state Rep. Glenn Vaad to fill the vacancy on the commission -- the nonpartisan state body charged with regulating the state's utility companies -- and he will serve out the remainder of Tarpey’s term. Tarpey was first appointed to the commission in 2008 by then-Governor of Colorado Bill Ritter and was most recently reappointed by Hickenlooper on November 2, 2012 for a term ending in 2017.[15][16][15] Vaad's appointment will take effect January 7, 2014, and he is subject to confirmation by the state Senate.[14][17]

Vaad represented District 48 in the Colorado House of Representatives from 2007 to 2013. During his tenure in the legislature, he was the Legislative Liaison to the State General Assembly and Transportation Manager/Administrator with the Colorado Department of Transportation. He is a member and President of the Saint Vrain Valley School Board, Charter Member of the Skyline High School Education Foundation, and a volunteer fireman/emergency medical technician.[18] Vaad ran unsuccessfully for election to the Colorado State Senate in 2012.

Commissioners serve four year terms and cannot all be from the same political party, as established by statute.[19]

Indiana State Auditor stepping down, state now tied with Iowa for most irregular office changes

Outgoing Indiana Auditor Dwayne Sawyer

Dwayne Sawyer was appointed Indiana Auditor of State by Gov. Mike Pence on August 15, 2013 to replace resigned officeholder Tim Berry.[20] Like Pence and Berry, Sawyer is a Republican. When he took office on August 19, he became the first African-American from the party to hold statewide office in Indiana history.[21]

Less than four months after his appointment went into effect, Sawyer sent shock-waves through Indiana's political ranks when he announced his resignation, effective Dec. 15, 2013. Sawyer cited family reasons in the letter of resignation he tendered to Gov. Pence on November 25.[22][23]

Sawyer's predecessor, Tim Berry, stepped down about eighteen months prior to his term end date in order to become chairman of the Indiana Republican Party.[24]

Before tapping Sawyer for the job, Pence had said that he was looking for someone not only qualified for temporary service, but who would also be interested in a longer-term commitment to the auditor's office.[25] Thus, Sawyer's appointment implied that he would run for a four-year term in 2014, and made his abrupt resignation in November 2013 all the more surprising.[25]

Sawyer’s exit puts Indiana at four irregular state executive office changes this year. Barring some unforeseen shuffles in some other state’s executive branch before December 31, Indiana will finish the year tied with Iowa for having had the highest number of state-row official turnovers.

2014 Elections

See also: State executive official elections, 2014

Ballotpedia has counted and is currently tracking a total of 217 state executive positions in 42 states that will be on the ballot next year. That is more than double the number of positions that were elected in 2012, when 94 positions were elected. The eight states that are not holding executive official elections in 2014 are Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.

The offices up for election include:

Mark your calendar
DateEvent
February 5Ohio candidate filing deadline
February 7Indiana candidate filing deadline
February 15Nebraska candidate filing deadline (Incumbents only)


Notable candidates

  • Twenty days after Ohio gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald (D) chose state Senator Eric Kearney as his running mate, Kearney is out. Soon after his selection, it came to light that Kearney, his wife, and the company they owned owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid federal and state taxes. The campaign tried to play down the story but more details came to light, showing the amount the Kearneys owed creeping close to $1 million. FitzGerald has not named a new running mate, saying he might do so by the end of the month or in early January.[26][27]
  • Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber (D) announced his bid for an unprecedented fourth term. Governors in Oregon are limited to serving 8 years in office during any 12 year period. Kitzhaber previously served from 1995-2003 and was elected again in 2010.[28]
  • Ada County Chief Deputy Clerk Phil McGrane is the second Republican to officially enter the race to succeed retiring Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa in the 2014 elections.[29]
  • Rather than seeking re-election, Wisconsin State Senator John Lehman (D) joined the race for Lieutenant Governor. Lehman has served the people of Racine in District 21 since defeating Van Wanggaard (R) in a recall election in June 2012. Lehman previously held the seat from 2007-2011, losing it to Wanggaard in the November 2010 election. Following last year's Republican-led redistricting, District 21 became a much more conservative district, leaving Lehman little chance of re-election.[30]
  • Three term veteran Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa (R ) announced his plans to retire from office rather than seek re-election when his seat next comes up in 2014.
  • Republican state Sen. Russell Fulcher from Idaho formally announced his bid to challenge incumbent Butch Otter for the GOP nomination in next year’s gubernatorial primary.[31]

This week in State Executive Trivia

First Governor of Texas James Pickney Henderson

252px-Question book-3 trans.png

Q. With Rick Perry (R) declining to run for re-election as Governor of Texas in 2014, thirteen candidates filed to replace him. How many governors has Texas has since becoming a state in December 1845?

Answer: 47

Of the 47 governors, 39 were Democratic, 6 were Republican, 1 was an Independent and 1 was a Unionist.[32]

Here is a complete list of Texas governors from 1846 to the present.

# Name Took office Left office Party
1 James Pinckney Henderson February 19, 1846 December 21, 1847 Democratic
2 George T. Wood December 21, 1847 December 21, 1849 Democratic
3 Peter Hansborough Bell December 21, 1849 November 23, 1853 Democratic
4 James W. Henderson November 23, 1853 December 21, 1853 Democratic
5 Elisha M. Pease December 21, 1853 December 21, 1857 Unionist
6 Hardin R. Runnels December 21, 1857 December 21, 1859 Democratic
7 Sam Houston December 21, 1859 March 18, 1861 Independent
8 Edward Clark March 18, 1861 November 7, 1861 Democratic
9 Francis R. Lubbock November 7, 1861 November 5, 1863 Democratic
10 Pendleton Murrah November 5, 1863 June 17, 1865 Democratic
11 Andrew J. Hamilton June 17, 1865 August 9, 1866 Democratic-Military
12 James W. Throckmorton August 9, 1866 August 8, 1867 Democratic
13 Elisha M. Pease June 8, 1867 September 30, 1869 Republican
14 Edmund J. Davis January 8, 1870 January 15, 1874 Republican
15 Richard Coke January 15, 1874 December 21, 1876 Democratic
16 Richard B. Hubbard December 21, 1876 January 21, 1879 Democratic
17 Oran M. Roberts January 21, 1879 January 16, 1883 Democratic
18 John Ireland January 16, 1883 January 20, 1887 Democratic
19 Lawrence Sullivan Ross January 18, 1887 January 20, 1891 Democratic
20 James Stephen Hogg January 20, 1891 January 15, 1895 Democratic
21 Charles A. Culberson January 15, 1895 January 17, 1899 Democratic
22 Joseph D. Sayers January 17, 1899 January 20, 1903 Democratic
23 S. W. T. Lanham January 20, 1903 January 15, 1907 Democratic
24 Thomas Mitchell Campbell January 15, 1907 January 17, 1911 Democratic
25 Oscar Branch Colquitt January 17, 1911 January 19, 1915 Democratic
26 James E. "Pa" Ferguson January 19, 1915 August 25, 1917 Democratic
27 William P. Hobby August 25, 1917 January 18, 1921 Democratic
28 Pat Morris Neff January 18, 1921 January 20, 1925 Democratic
29 Miriam A. "Ma" Ferguson January 20, 1925 January 17, 1927 Democratic
30 Dan Moody January 17, 1927 January 20, 1931 Democratic
31 Ross S. Sterling January 20, 1931 January 17, 1933 Democratic
32 Miriam A. "Ma" Ferguson January 17, 1933 January 15, 1935 Democratic
33 James V. Allred January 15, 1935 January 17, 1939 Democratic
34 W. Lee O'Daniel January 17, 1939 August 4, 1941 Democratic
35 Coke R. Stevenson August 4, 1941 January 21, 1947 Democratic
36 Beauford H. Jester January 21, 1947 July 11, 1949 Democratic
37 Allan Shivers July 11, 1949 January 15, 1957 Democratic
38 Price Daniel January 15, 1957 January 15, 1963 Democratic
39 John Connally January 15, 1963 January 21, 1969 Democratic
40 Preston Smith January 21, 1969 January 16, 1973 Democratic
41 Dolph Briscoe January 16, 1973 January 16, 1979 Democratic
42 Bill Clements January 16, 1979 January 18, 1983 Republican
43 Mark White January 18, 1983 January 20, 1987 Democratic
44 Bill Clements January 20, 1987 January 15, 1991 Republican
45 Ann Richards January 15, 1991 January 17, 1995 Democratic
46 George W. Bush January 17, 1995 December 21, 2000 Republican
47 Rick Perry December 21, 2000 Incumbent Republican



Footnotes

  1. ↑ Libertarian Party of Texas, "2014 November general election," accessed December 10, 2013
  2. ↑ Salt Lake Tribune, "Swallow resigns, proclaiming innocence, says toll on family and office too great," November 21, 2013
  3. ↑ Salt Lake Tribune, "GOP plans to pick Swallow successor; Dems say not so fast," November 21, 2013
  4. ↑ KUTV, "9 Vie to Be Next Attorney General," December 6, 2013
  5. ↑ FOX13Now, “Utah Attorney General candidates debate for position,” December 11, 2013
  6. ↑ Channel 6 News Lawrence, Brownback appoints new agriculture director, December 2, 2013
  7. ↑ KOAM, Governor Sam Brownback appoints new Secretary of Agriculture, December 2, 2013
  8. ↑ The Topeka Capital-Journal, "Rodman to step down as Kansas agriculture secretary," December 2, 2013
  9. ↑ Kansas Department of Agriculture, "Homepage," accessed June 21, 2013
  10. ↑ The Witchita Eagle via Kansas.com, "Mark Sievers, Kansas Corporation Commission Chairman, resigns," December 10, 2013
  11. ↑ The Topedka Capital-Journal, "Sievers steps down as KCC chairman," December 9, 2013
  12. ↑ Politico, "McAuliffe taps Mook, Stoney to lead campaign," November 15, 2012
  13. ↑ Washington Post, "Virginia Gov.-elect McAuliffe makes key appointments," November 18, 2013
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Times-Call, "Gov. Hickenlooper names Glenn Vaad to PUC," December 10, 2013
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, "Public Utilities Commission - James Tarpey," accessed January 23, 2013
  16. ↑ The Denver Post, "Gov. Hickenlooper appoints former Rep. Glenn Vaad to the Public Utilities Commission," December 10, 2013
  17. ↑ The Denver Post, "Gov. Hickenlooper appoints former Rep. Glenn Vaad to the Public Utilities Commission," December 10, 2013
  18. ↑ Project Vote Smart - Rep. Vaad
  19. ↑ The Denver Post, "Gov. Hickenlooper appoints former Rep. Glenn Vaad to the Public Utilities Commission," December 10, 2013
  20. ↑ NBC News, "Dwayne Sawyer named as new Indiana auditor," August 15, 2013 (dead link)
  21. ↑ ‘’WTHR.com,’’ “Sawyer sworn in as new Indiana state auditor,” August 19, 2013
  22. ↑ Herald Bulletin, "Party leaders surprised by Sawyer resignation," November 28, 2013 (dead link)
  23. ↑ WishTV.com, "State Auditor Dwayne Sawyer resigns," November 26, 2013
  24. ↑ Indiana Public Media, "Tim Berry Confirmed As Republican Party Chair," July 23, 2013
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 NWI Politics, "Governor seeks 'best' state auditor," July 11, 2013
  26. ↑ Bucyrus Telegraph Forum, "Gov. candidate FitzGerald chooses Cincinnati state senator as 2014 running mate," November 20, 2013
  27. ↑ The Columbus Dispatch, "Eric Kearney out as Ed FitzGerald's running mate for governor's race," December 10, 2013
  28. ↑ Oregon Live, "John Kitzhaber announces for historic fourth term," December 9, 2013
  29. ↑ Idaho Statesman, "McGrane joins Idaho secretary of state race to succeed Ben Ysursa," December 11, 2013
  30. ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Sen. John Lehman to run for lieutenant governor," November 18, 2013
  31. ↑ Idaho Statesman, “Sen. Fulcher announces run for governor,” November 24, 2013
  32. ↑ Chronological List of Texas Governors
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