Dylan Claiborne, an eighth-grader at Adair County Middle School, gets a lesson in how computers are used in the Kentucky Senate by Sen. Vernie McGaha, R-Russell Springs, on Jan. 29. Dylan was in the Senate chamber that day serving as a page.

In Feb. 7-13 issue
By Derek Aaron
Times Journal Reporter

JAMESTOWN - Time has run out for potential candidates to place their name on the ballot for the 2008 primary elections.

State Sen. Vernie McGaha, R-Russell Springs, and State Rep. Jeff Hoover, R-Russell Springs, will both be unopposed this fall.

Both have served in the Senate and House, respectively, since 1997 when both of the Russell Countians first ran for public office.

Candidates had until 3 p.m. on Jan. 29 to file with the Office of the Secretary of State, Trey Grayson. He is the state's chief election officer.

According to Kentucky's Online Registrar Directory, McGaha filed for office on Jan. 9 while Hoover filed on Jan. 18.

McGaha, 60, a retired educator, represents the 15th district in the state Senate which includes Russell, Adair, Pulaski and Casey Counties.

He has in the past and continues to serve on many committees in Frankfort, including the interim committees of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Appropriations and Revenue, Education, Elementary and Secondary Education Co-Chair, Energy Special Subcommittee, Rural Issues Co-Chair, Seniors, Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection, the session committees of Agriculture and Natural Resources Vice Chair, Appropriations & Revenue; Education Vice Chair, Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection, and statutory committees of Government Contract Review Committee Co-Chair and the Program Review and Investigations Committee.

Hoover, 48, a Jamestown attorney, represents the 83rd district in the Kentucky House of Representatives which includes Russell, Clinton and part of Pulaski County.

Hoover has also served on several committees while in Frankfort, such as the Judiciary Interim Committee, the Committee on Committees, Enrollment, Judiciary, Rules session committees and the Legislative Research Commission statutory committee.

He has been the House Minority Leader since 2001 and unsuccessfully ran for Lieutenant Governor last year as the running mate of Anne Northup, who received just over 35 percent of the vote in the Republican primary.

Because no one filed to run against either McGaha or Hoover, both will receive another term in the Kentucky General Assembly, unless they are challenged by a write-in candidate.

McGaha's term will now run through 2012 while Hoover's will run through 2010.