JEFFERSON CITY -- While the filing period for Missouri's August primaries ended at 5 p.m. Tuesday for most offices, Missourians interested in running for governor have a few more days to enter the race.
Officials extended it to 5 p.m. Friday for governor, three state House seats and two state Senate seats _ one each from Kansas City and St. Louis. Officials took that step after some candidates withdrew close to the deadline.
Numerous candidates filed on Tuesday, including two from Sikeston.
Neal E. Boyd, the opera-singing winner of 2008's "America's Got Talent," officially filed Tuesday for the Sikeston-area 149th seat after announcing he would do so earlier this month. Boyd, a Republican, will face incumbent Rep. Steve Hodges, D-East Prairie.
Another Democrat on Tuesday joined the nearby 148th House race, which also includes a portion of Sikeston. Bart Ziegenhorn, son of former representative and current Scott County Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn, filed Tuesday as well, where he will face Mike Marsh in the Aug. 7 Democratic primary. The winner of that contest will square off in the Nov. 6 general election against the winner of the Republican side, either former Sikeston mayor Josh Bill or Holly Rehder, a small-business owner and former campaign staffer for U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson.
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