PRESTONSBURG - The special election to fill the 95th District state representative's seat took an unexpected turn Friday, as the father of one candidate in the May primary election announced his intention to seek the unexpired term as a write-in candidate.

Eddie Darryl Meade, of McDowell, father of former state Rep. Charles “Chuck” Meade, mailed his candidacy papers to the state Friday, seeking to challenge Democratic nominee Greg Stumbo and Republican nominee Larry Brown in the Feb. 5 election.

Meade, a former car salesman and car dealership owner, says he is running because he wants to “make a difference for the people of Floyd County,” and he is issuing a challenge to Stumbo and Brown to join him in a debate.

“I'm running in honor of my dad ...” Meade said. “I think I can make a better difference for the time left [in the term] than [Stumbo or Brown].”

Meade said that he will oppose any effort to implement casino gambling in Kentucky and that he believes Gov. Steve Beshear's projections of a budget shortfall are a “farce.”

“It's talking down the economy with the agenda to push the casino issue, using the excuse that we've got to have it to fund children's insurance,” Meade said.

Should he win the special election, Meade said he would square off against his son in May, “but he'll beat me.”