By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

Several candidates will be vying for Shelby County’s sheriff position and a slew of Alabama Legislature and U.S. Congress seats during the state’s June 3 Republican primary.

Feb. 7 marked the qualifying deadline for major-party candidates running for Shelby County, state and national offices, leaving hotly contested races for several offices.

“All things considered, there were no real surprises,” Shelby County Republican Party Chairman Freddy Ard wrote in a Feb. 10 email. “Consistently, where there were incumbents running for the position currently held, those are all Republicans here and were unchallenged.”

Current Shelby County Sheriff Chris Curry announced in 2013 he will not be seeking re-election in 2014, creating a crowded race for the seat. Kip Cole, Larry McDow, Rick Needham and John Samaniego have all qualified for the sheriff’s seat.

Current Alabama House of Representatives District 43 Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin, also announced she will not run for re-election. Doug Clark, Arnold Mooney, Amie Beth Shaver, Cheryl Ciamarra, John Bahakel, Gina McDonald and Don Murphy have qualified to replace McClurkin.

House District 73, which was created as a result of Shelby County’s population growth over the past decade, will go down to the June 3 primary, as Matt Fridy and Jody Trautwein have qualified for the position.

State Senate District 11 will go down to a primary race between incumbent Jerry Fielding and current state Rep. Jim McClendon.

Seven candidates have qualified to run for the U.S. House of Representatives District 6 seat, which will be vacated by longtime Congressman Spencer Bachus this year. Candidates include Chad Mathis, Paul DeMarco, Will Brooke, Gary Palmer, Tom Vigneulle, Robert Shattuck and Scott Beason.

The following candidates qualified unopposed:

-Shelby County Coroner – Diane Steele New

-Property Tax  Commissioner – Don Armstrong

-Shelby County School Superintendent – Randy Fuller

-Shelby County Board of Education – Peg Hill

-State House District 15 – Allen Farley

-State House District 41 – Mike Hill

-State House District 45 – Dickie Drake

-State House District 48 – Jim Cairns

-State House District 49 – April Weaver

-Alabama Senate District 14 – Cam Ward

-Alabama Senate District 15 – Slade Blackwell

-Alabama Senate District 16 – J.T. “Jabo” Waggoner