Once the deadline to file petitions for the state primary elections in August passed on April 4, two people had signed up to challenge Johnny Shaw for the Democratic nomination for State Representative for District 80.
Sheila Godwin and Jonathan Joy will challenge the longstanding state representative.
District 80 includes all of Hardeman County and about a third of Madison County on the southern end.
Godwin is a member of the Madison County Commission. Joy is a former Bolivar City Councilman.
Both were at the Democratic caucus for the Madison County Commission on April 9. Joy announced his candidacy first before Godwin did.
“I just feel like we need better representation of Democrats and people in District 80 than what we have,” Joy said. “So I plan to run for the nomination.”
Godwin made a similar statement.
“What good is it to have a Democrat sitting in a seat representing us if he won’t vote for what the Democratic Party wants,” Godwin said. “That’s my goal in Nashville, to vote for our interests and not the interests of others.”
Shaw has served in the General Assembly for more than 20 years.
Along with the three Democrats running, Bolivar resident Brad Grantham is running unopposed for the Republican nomination for the position.
The state primary will be held on Aug. 1, which is the same day as the general election for the local position including five school board positions.
Both incumbent state representatives for Madison County are being challenged in their primary as Chris Todd, who’s represented District 73 (the rest of Madison County) since 2019, is being challenged for former County Mayor Jimmy Harris.
The winner of that primary will be unopposed in the general election, which will be held on Nov. 5, the same day the state will be casting votes for U.S. Senator seat currently held by Marsha Blackburn and the country will be voting for President.
Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news
