The election to replace outgoing Secretary of State Beth Chapman is turning into a contest.
Crenshaw County Probate Judge Jim Perdue has joined state Rep. John Merrill of Tuscaloosa in the Republican primary. Former Montgomery County Probate Judge Reese McKinney says he plans to run as a Republican and will kick off his campaign in a few days.
No Democrat has announced yet.
Chapman has served two terms and is prohibited by state law from running again. Merrill says he expects a hot race, including the entry of a Democratic candidate, because secretary of state and state auditor look like they will be the only open offices in the Capitol for the 2014 election. All the other Capitol offices have incumbents running.