A challenger has qualified to run for the District 4 seat on the Pike County Commission.

Michael Goodson qualified with the local Democratic executive committee Tuesday to campaign for the seat.

“I’ve thought about it a long time and I just want to help,” Goodson said. “I support Pike County and I think I could do a good job. I want to do the best job I can do for better roads, I support all the local fire departments and local law enforcement. I just want to make Pike County a better place.”

Goodson is the son of former District 4 commission R.A. Goodson, who served in the seat for 24 years before retiring in 2016. Republican Chad Copeland was elected to fill the seat and has served the past four years. He has qualified for reelection.

“It would mean a lot to me to kind of follow in (my father’s) footsteps,” Goodson said. “I just want to do the best job I can do; and really one of the main reasons is our youth, our children of Pike County. I support all the youth programs at Pike County Schools and I want to make it a better place for them. I support all the county employees and road department employees and what they do. I believe in using common sense values and I just want to do the best job I can do if I can get in there.”