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BY FLORENCE GILKESON: Senior Writer

Two Republican primary races for county commissioner developed Friday morning, shortly before the filing period ended.

Joe Nelson filed as a Republican candidate for the District 4 seat on the Moore County Board of Commissioners. He will face Tim Lea, who filed on Wednesday. Incumbent Commissioner Robert S. Ewing had announced earlier that he would not seek re-election.

Ron Jackson filed for the District 2 seat about 15 minutes before the noon filing deadline. He will challenge incumbent Republican Commissioner Colin McKenzie, also of Pinehurst

Judy Adams, a former county register of deeds, accompanied Nelson to the Board of Elections office Friday morning and paid his filing fee. Michael Holden, chairman of the Board of Commissioners, joined Nelson and Adams and endorsed Nelson.

Jackson paid his filing fee in the company of his wife, Michelle, and two of their five children.

Winners of these primary races will face Democratic challenges in the November general election. Sue Black has filed as a Democrat for the District 4 seat. Democrat Paul Dunn of Pinehurst filed for the District 2 seat

The entry of Jackson and Nelson adds the third contested primary race for Moore County Republicans. Peggy Crutchfield is challenging House Co-Speaker Richard Morgan for the state House District 52 seat, which encompasses most of Moore County.

However, Sen. Harris Blake, a Pinehurst Republican, emerged without opposition and will run unopposed in November. His District 22 encompasses all of Moore and Harnett counties. Shortly after the filing deadline, a check with the state elections Web site showed that no one had filed for that Senate seat from Harnett County.

No new candidates filed Friday for seats on the nonpartisan Board of Education.

Incumbent board member Allan Beck did not for re-election to a second term. The Pilot has been unable to reach him for comment. Joe Vaughn, a former school system finance officer, is running opposed for that seat.

One other incumbent, Clayton Evans, announced earlier that he would not seek re-election.

Nelson said his decision to run for commissioner was “a pretty sudden thing.”

“I have no strategy and don’t have a lot of money,” said Nelson, who founded the Moore County Republican Men’s Club several years ago. He also served as president of the club, which is now the largest GOP men’s club in North Carolina.

Jackson, a 40-year old contractor, likewise said that he had no prepared statement Friday morning. He is a member of the Moore County Planning Board and the Board of Adjustment.

“I’m for whatever’s better for Moore County,” Jackson said. “I do care very much about our county. I really like it here and wouldn’t live anywhere else.”

Originally from Maryland, Jackson is a building contractor and developer based in Pinehurst. He is a member of the Homebuilders Association board and a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

The 76-year old Nelson is a retired businessman who lives with his wife, the former Carolyn Knight, in the Belle Meade retirement resort at Southern Pines.

“I would like an opportunity to follow Mr. Bob Ewing and continue some of the issues that I consider to be positive legislative activities,” Nelson said. “I believe that I have the capability of understanding not only the problems but the opportunities in Moore County that, in my opinion, deserve serious consideration.”

Nelson said that his interests would be directed toward capitalizing on the opportunities available to all people in Moore County.

“In addition to my awareness that this is a wonderful place for recreation, relaxation and retirement, I would like to see us broaden our base so we retain some of our graduates,” Nelson said. “I’m interested in doing what I can to further services for senior citizens.”

A member of the county’s Advisory Council on the Aging, Nelson has served as council president for the past two years. He said he will not seek reappointment to the council in August because of his candidacy for county commissioner.

Nelson is a member of Brown-son Memorial Presbyterian Church in Southern Pines and holds a 50-year membership in the Shrine Club.

A native North Carolinian, Nelson grew up in New Bern. He took early retirement from his insurance business in Libertyville, Ill., and moved to Greenville, S.C. to operate his own insurance brokerage firm. He and his wife, who hails from Rockingham County, moved to Moore County in 1993.

Nelson served with the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He is a former tomb guard for the Tombs of the Unknown Soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

He and his wife have two sons and three grandchildren.

With the filing period closed, here is the line-up of candidates for local office in Moore County:

N.C. House of Representatives (District 52) — Peggy Crutchfield, Pinehurst, Republican; Richard T. Morgan (incumbent), Eagle Springs, Republican.

N.C. Senate (District 22) — Harris Blake (incumbent), Pinehurst, Republican.

County Commissioner (District II) — Paul R. Dunn, Pinehurst, Democrat; Ron Jackson, Pinehurst, Republican; Colin McKenzie (incumbent), Pinehurst, Republican.

County Commissioner (District IV) — Sue McKenzie Black, West End, Democrat; Tim Lea, Carthage, Republican; Joe Nelson, Southern Pines, Republican.

School Board District I (nonpartisan) — Belinda Foster Bryant, Carthage; Lorna C. Clack, Carthage; Thomas D. Jones, Cameron.

School Board District II (nonpartisan) — Katherine C. (Kathy) Farren, Pinehurst; Lu Pendleton (Penny) Hayes (incumbent), Pinehurst.

School Board District IV (nonpartisan) — Joe Vaughn, Carthage.

School Board District V (nonpartisan) — Wiley G. Barrett (incumbent), Southern Pines; Bruce Tracy Cunningham Jr., Southern Pines.

District I is the only school board election that will require a primary with those three candidates subject to the July 20 primary election.

Two of those winners and all of the candidates in the other districts will be subject to the general election in November.

One other local election is coming up, but the filing period for seats on the Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors does not open until June.