Villar
In the vast majority of cases, the Aug. 6 primary election ballot next month will show incumbents running unopposed. However, there are a few exceptions, but all races involve only Republicans.
Townbroadcast already has examined the three-way for the new 48th Circuit judgeship, with the top two squaring off Nov. 5 in the general election. All three candidates, Elizabeth Peterson, Emily Jipp and Alice Bernal, are newcomers to the political arena.
Closer to home, newcomer Cade Bolson has thrown his hat in the ring to challenge Mark Evans for Hopkins Township Supervisor. Evans has held the position for 28 years.
But there other races, perhaps the most interesting of which is between Prosecuting Attorney Myrene Koch and challenger Mike Villar, a defense attorney from Allegan. Koch turned back Villar’s challenge four years ago by just 17 votes.
Villar appears to be an angry man and he has leveled a variety of charges against the incumbent, virtually all of which she has denied, making the campaign a “he said, she said” affair.
It very easily is the most bitter and contentious political campaign of 2024 in these parts.
Villar on more than one occasion has loudly and proudly stated that though he came to the U.S. from Cuba while he was a child, his father sternly forbade him from speaking Spanish because “You’re an American now.” This amounts to a very strange personal indictment against being bilingual.
There are other contests:
• Allegan County Commissioner Scott Beltman of Hopkins was first elected two years ago to his Fourth District seat and will face Bret Medemar of Allegan.
- Sheriff Frank Baker, seeking his second four-year term, will be challenged by Dean Brandt.
- Monterey Township Supervisor’s contest will feature incumbent Henry Reinart vs. Stephen Young, perhaps well known as a key member of the Tea Party and sometimes candidate from the U,S. Constitution Party.
- Watson Township — Clerk Mary Ann Baker succeeds Kelli Morris, who has decided not to seek another four-year term after serving for more than two decades. Also in Watson, Joseph Yearous succeeds Trustee John Caras, who served a partial term as trustee after the resignation of Jack Wood.
• Wayland Township — Lillian Dekoning succeeds Ann McInerny as clerk after she decided to retire at the end of the year.
