A Marion attorney is making his political debut by running for District Court judge. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler will face a Democratic challenger who filed as a candidate on Wednesday.
The filing period for candidates started at noon on Monday, Feb. 8 and will continue until noon on Friday. Individuals can file to run for office at the McDowell County Board of Elections, located on the second floor of the County Administration Building.
District Court judge
Marion attorney Brian K. Plemmons, 34, filed Monday as a candidate for District Court judge in Judicial District 29A. Plemmons is running for the seat now held by Judge Tommy Davis of Forest City, who is seeking re-election.
A 1994 graduate of McDowell High, Plemmons, served as a medic in the U.S. Navy. While he was in the Navy, he earned an associate's degree from Campbell University. After he was honorably discharged in 1998, he completed his undergraduate education at N.C. State University. He graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2003. He's practiced law in Marion and Rutherford County. Plemmons' law office is located at 68 S. Main St., Suite 200.
Plemmons said he's running for District Court judge because of the disparity in sentences for various crimes. Some people who are found guilty receive sentences that are not appropriate, he added.
"I would like to see some changes in District Court," he said. "I would like to see a mental health court and a family court. Mental health court works a lot like drug court except it's geared towards helping people find treatment for their illness. The idea behind family court is for the same judge to stay with that family through the life of the case. It basically saves time. You don't have to come in and rehash the facts over and over."
Plemmons is a member of the First United Methodist Church of Marion. He and his wife, Karen, have three daughters.
Judicial District 29A covers both McDowell and Rutherford counties. The race is non-partisan.
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler will face a challenge from a fellow Democrat in the May primary. Aixa Wilson of Asheville filed Wednesday as a Democratic candidate for the 11th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House.
The six Republican hopefuls for the U.S. House are Marion attorney Ed Krause, Dan Eichenbaum of Murphy, James "Jake" Howard of Franklin, Jeff Miller of Hendersonville, Gregory A. Newman of Hendersonville and Kenny West of Hayesville.
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