I never thought that Curtis Morrison’s chances of upending the popular Tom Owen on the Metro Council were very good. Neither did Morrison, apparently, because on the filing deadline yesterday the commnity organizer and Bridge Toll opponent withdrew from the Metro Council race, went to Frankfort and filed to run in the 35th District State Senate race. There he will face incumbent Denise Harper Angel.
Owen will have 2 Democratic opponents in a primary — Bryan Matthews and Mason Roberts. And a Republican filed in the heavily-Democratic Highlands district — Kirt Jacobs. He does those leadership interview segments in the Metro TV channel. Roberts is the executive director of Louisville Grows, an environmentally-focused non-profit. Matthews is the Jefferson County Judge-Executive. WFPL’s Phillip Bailey has this on the race.
But now every state race is in question, now, because yesterday a Frankfort judge pushed the filing deadline back a week to consider the constitutionality of the newly-drawn boundaries for House and Senate districts. There’s a hearing set for Monday. And rumor has it that it’s possible the deadline will be pushed back further.
Another familiar face filing late was Dan Johnson, who won his Metro Council seat unopposed in 2010. Johnson, whom I spoke with yesterday, said he was asked to jump into the 37th District State Senate race, which is the most crowded field in the state, with 3 Dems and 3 Republicans. And among the Republicans are former Metro Council rep Doug Hawkins, who will face South End activist Chris Thieneman and John Yuen.
There could be more candidates in the State races, but it’s hard to imagine how the appeal to the re-districting could be changed and resolved in the limited amount of time available. Stay tuned.