Voters in multiple states will be selecting who they want representing their state’s ag sectors
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Americans will head to the polls on Nov. 8 for the 2022 midterm elections.
At the state level, voters in six states will be selecting who they want representing their state’s ag sectors.
Of those states, five have Republican incumbents. And two are guaranteed to have new faces handling the ag portfolio.
Here’s a breakdown of the candidates for state ag positions across the country.
Alabama
Republican incumbent Rick Pate will be up against Jason Clark, representing the Libertarian Party.
Pate won the 2018 election handily as the only candidate from a party on the ballot.
Florida
Florida is among the jurisdictions guaranteed to have a new ag commissioner.
Voters will choose between Democrat Naomi Blemur or Republican Wilton Simpson.
Former commissioner, Democrat Nikki Fried, stepped down from the role in 2021 to challenge Governor Ron DeSantis in the 2022 election.
She lost in the Democratic primary to Charlie Crist, who is challenging DeSantis on Nov. 8.
Georgia
Georgia’s ag community will also have a new ag commissioner after the Nov. 8 elections.
Vying for the position are Democrat Nakita Hemingway, Republican Tyler Harper, and David Raudabaugh, representing the Libertarian Party.
Former commissioner Gary Black stepped down from the position to pursue a Republican Senate nomination in 2022 to challenge Democrat Raphael Warnock.
Black placed second in the primary to winner Herschel Walker.
Iowa
Iowans have two choices for agriculture commissioner on Nov. 8.
The incumbent, Republican Mike Naig, will face off against Democrat John Norwood.
Naig won the 2018 election with 50.4 percent of the vote.
South Carolina
Voters in South Carolina will have three names to choose from on the ag commissioner ballot.
David Edmond, representing the Green Party, and Chris Nelums of the United Citizens Party will try to unseat Republican incumbent Hugh Weathers.
Weathers defeated his two challengers in 2018, winning 75.7 percent of the vote.
Texas
On Nov. 8, Texans will have two candidates to select from to be the ag commissioner.
Republican incumbent Sid Miller and Democrat challenger Susan Hays are on the ballot.
In 2018, Miller defeated two challengers after receiving 51.3 percent of the vote.