Incumbent Tax Assessor/Collector Nancy Jordan and Nolan EarlWilliamson, the incumbent District Three supervisor, picked uptheir first challengers Thursday.

Dewitt “Dee” Bates, district attorney for the 14th JudicialDistrict, also picked up his first challenger Friday when Magnoliaattorney Nelson Estess filed his papers with the Democratic Partyin Jackson.

The Lincoln County challenges came from among five candidates toqualify for political office in the past two weeks. Candidates haveless than two weeks left to meet the March 1 qualifying deadlinefor the party primaries Aug. 7 and the Nov. 6 general election.

The 2007 elections include nearly all county and stateoffices.

Rita Wilkinson Goss will seek to unseat Jordan for the office oftax assessor/collector. Both are Democrats.

Marley B. Bowman and Russell L. Laird qualifed to opposeWilliamson for the District Three supervisor post. All areDemocrats.

Other recent qualifiers include Freddie Canon for Post TwoJustice Court judge and Earl H. Brown for District FourSupervisor.

Canon is the first Republican to join a growing field of 11Democratic candidates seeking two vacant Justice Court seats.Judges Billy Joe “B.J.” Price and Judy Case Martin have announcedthey will not be seeking re-election to another term.

Democrats Ricky Beavers, Carl Brown, Andrew Graham, Chris Kingand Ann Reeves have all filed their qualifying papers for the PostTwo seat. The winner of the party primary in August will advance toface the Republican Canon in November.

The Post One seat also features six candidates, all Democrats.Ralph Boone, Carol Brewer, Frank Leggett, Art Likens, ValerieShelby-Sterling and Trisha Jordan Weeks are vying for that office.Barring a Republican candidate, the Post One seat will be decidedin the August party primary.

Earl H. Brown qualified as an Independent to challenge incumbentDistrict Four Supervisor Doug Moak, a Democrat. Earl H. Brown joinsa Democratic field of Eddie Brown, Charles Davis and Jeff Fauver inhis bid for office.

Other candidates for office include:

* Sheriff: Democrats Steve Rushing, the incumbent; Lynn Boyteand B.W. Pitts and Republican Terry Harper.

* Supervisor District One: Incumbent the Rev. Jerry Wilson.

* Supervisor District Two: Incumbent Bobby J. Watts, Ellis DaveChatmon and Jerry E. Nix.

* Supervisor District Five: Incumbent Gary Walker and RepublicanDonald R. Golmon.

* Chancery Clerk: Democrats Tillmon Bishop, the incumbent, andMaxine McCoy Jones.

* Circuit Clerk: Incumbent Terry Lynn Watkins.

* Coroner: Incumbent Clay McMorris.

* Constable Post One: Incumbent Charles Ralph Smith, Clint A.Earls, Kelly Porter and Don Smith.

* Constable Post Two: Incumbent Lavon Boyd.

* Superintendent: Incumbent Terry Brister.

The office of county surveyor still has no candidates.

In multi-county races, Estess, 32, has challenged Bates for thedistrict attorney office. Both are Democrats.

Estess is making his second bid for the office. He was one ofseveral candidates, including the incumbent, to seek the office in2003. He is a former McComb municipal judge and assistant districtattorney for the 12th Judicial District in Hattiesburg.

In other multi-county races, incumbents District 39 Sen. CindyHyde-Smith, D-Brookhaven, and District 53 Rep. Bobby Moak, D-BogueChitto, are unopposed.

In House of Representatives District 92, Dr. Jim Barnett,R-Brookhaven, is not seeking re-election. His son Paul Barnett,R-Brookhaven, and Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, have qualified forthat post.