This week's filing for state and county offices showed once again that our area has no shortage of people willing to serve the public. The filing period opened with a bang Monday as legislative candidates lined up at the Capitol to get their bids in early and seven hopefuls put in their bids for the Cleveland County sheriff's position.

Races shaped up for most of the local positions.

Fourth District Congressman Tom Cole drew two opponents, Blake Cummings, D, Pauls Valley, and David E. Joyce, D, Wynnewood.

State Senate District 15 will see a race between Diane M. Drum, D, Norman, and incumbent Jonathan Nichols, R, Norman. Senate District 45 will have a five-way race among Republicans Marty Gormley of Moore and Jerry W. Foshee, Melinda Daugherty, Kyle Loveless and Steve Russell, all of Oklahoma City.

State House races include: District 44, Republican Tod J. Barrett and incumbent Democrat Bill Nations, both of Norman; District 45, Democratic incumbent Wallace Collins and Republicans Les White, David Hopper, Aaron Stiles and Ron Henderson, all of Norman; District 53, incumbent Randy Terrill, R, Moore, Troy Green, D, Moore, Charles Barnes, D, Moore, and Curtis Bruehl, R, Norman; and District 54, incumbent Paul Wesselhoft and Dustin McGowen, both Republicans from Moore.

In McClain County, the District 2 Commissioner's post drew seven candidates: Democrats Bryan Jenkins of Norman, David Perry and Andy Madden of Purcell and Ronnie Little of Washington and Republicans Jerry England of Lindsay, Wilson Lyles of Goldsby and Kent Smith of Washington. There will be a race for County Clerk between Democrats Lois Hawkins of Wayne and Debbie Brown of Blanchard. Unopposed are Democrat Lynda Baker of Purcell for Court Clerk and Democrat Don Hewitt of Washington for sheriff.

Cleveland County races will include District 2 Commissioner, incumbent George Skinner of Norman, Earl Cox of Noble and Charles Wright of Newalla, all Republicans; and County Clerk, Kerri Hudson and incumbent Tammy Howard, both Norman Republicans. Court Clerk Rhonda Hall did not draw an opponent.

We were glad to see that Don Holyfield, who is serving out the remainder of the term left vacant when former Sheriff DeWayne Beggs retired, kept his word and didn't file for election to the post, leaving a level field for the race. The call for candidates to fill Mr. Beggs' unexpired term resulted in an impressive field of aspirants with wide and varied law enforcement experience. In making their choice the county commissioners took the high road in choosing a man with extensive experience who promised not to seek election to the post, eschewing politics in favor of leaving the public a free choice with no candidate having the advantage of incumbency, however brief.

Since Mr. Holyfield kept his word, the field is level and wide open for Roy D. Magerkurth, R, Moore; Rick Adkins, D, Lexington; Joe Lester, R, Norman; Lynn Statton, R, Oklahoma City; Mark Hamm, R, Moore; Kelly Owings, R, Lexington; Timothy Carson, R, Moore; and Doug Blaine, R, Norman, to make their cases to the public. It looks to us like a strong field of candidates from which the voters should be able to choose a capable sheriff.