Here's your filing deadline roundup for Shelby County

The apparently final update from the Election Commission is in, and here we go:

A surprisingly crowded 4-person Republican Primary for Congress (TN-09) features returning nominee Charlotte Bergmann, who has to be an underdog to George Flinn, the doctor/media mogul who is running in an overwhelmingly Democratic district but will be spending a LOT of money.  Joining them are Ernest Lunati and Rollin Stooksberry.

As expected, Unified School Board member Tomeka Hart filed in the Democratic primary for TN-09 against Congressman Cohen, only to have Cohen's campaign announce shortly after noon that, like 2010, The President of The United States was endorsing him for re-election.  As I said when I read that, BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE.

The primary winners will face independents Gregory Joiner and Brian L. Saulsberry.

In state Senate Races, Senator Beverly Marrero will face off against Senator Jim Kyle in District 30.  While it still has her number, the district more resembles Kyle's old district, and it will be a tough battle for both of them, and it is likely to split the Democrats in the county in two.

Interestingly, GOP Senate Leader Mark Norris of Collierville has a primary battle coming up against Woody Degan, of whom I know nothing about.  We will see if he has any traction against the longtime Senator.

Now, to the House.  Escaping opposition and winning re-election by default were Reps Mark White (R-83), Joe Towns (D-84) who saw both of his potential opponents disqualified due to insufficient signatures.  This is a surprise, as the SCEC had listed Hendrell Remus as being qualified earlier in the day.

(UPDATE- Remus says on his Facebook page that he was certified on March 8 as having sufficient signatures and was not listed as being INSUFFICIENT until this afternoon and intends to fight this.  Towns may not be out of the woods just yet.)  FURTHER UPDATE ON SATURDAY: Remus IS qualified, thanks to Steve Tapp and Cherrie Holden for the information!

Joining these two in cruising to unopposed victory are Reps. Karen Camper (D-87), Lois Deberry (D-91), and Jim Coley (R-97).

Some had no primary opposition but face opponents in November.  Those include Barbara Cooper (D-86), who once again is up against the GOP's George Edwards, Larry Miller (D-88) versus Harry Barber (Miller's potential primary foe, Tammy Warren, was DQ'd for insufficient signatures), Curry Todd (R-95), who will face Democrat Robert Noziglia, and Antonio "2Shay" Parkinson, who gets independent Artie Smith in November.

The GOP House primary fights between incumbent Steve McManus (R-96) and Jim Harrell and Ron Lollar (R-99) and Thomas D. Stephens.  I won't pick here; whomever I pick I would hurt as the picked person would inevitably be accused of being a LIBERAL!

Last, but not least, are the Democratic House primaries, which look like barn-burners.  First, in a re-drawn District 90 that now includes Hein Park, Central Gardens, Chickasaw Gardens and Cooper-Young, incumbent John Deberry now finds himself up against redistricted Rep. Jeanne Richardson, who saw her House 89 sent to Knox County, and Ian Randolph, who has unsuccessfully sought legislative office in the past.  Richardson has been gathering support for this race, and will give the veteran Deberry a tough fight.

The other fight will be between 19-term veteran Mike Kernell and redistricted GA Hardaway in 93.  Hardaway's 92 is now in South Central Tennessee.  Though the district contains more of Kernell's former district (and parts that were with Hardaway in 92 until this year, but with Kernell in 93 in the 70s and 80s), there are new parts of the district that formerly were in 89 and 98.  Both men are hard workers; this summer will be very interesting to say the least.