Of Cabbages and Kings
by BOB BARTON
Reflecting back on the recent party primary elections, we have these observations:
The Democratic side was a ho-hummer. Republican attempts to immerse Congressman Lloyd Doggett into a Hispanic-dominated district were off base. Doggett’s long service to Hays County goes back to his State Senate days 40 years ago and pushed him to nearly 90 percent over his San Antonio opponent.
Former San Marcos Mayor Susan Narvaiz easily won her primary, but the district is what the Republicans intended it to be – Democratic stronghold. She will make a game try in pursuit of Doggett’s seat in November, but the odds are against her.
The run-off for the U.S. Senate Democratic nomination will be lonesome. School finance expert Paul Sadler should easily defeat an unknown retired teacher who almost spells his name like the late fabled Ralph Yarborough. Democrats need to put Sadler over the top in the run-off.
Constable James Kohler had a relatively easy time dispatching his party opponent, but faces a much more difficult task in November when Republican Ron Hall takes him on.
The big-surprise on the R side was two-fold. Multi-millionaire David Dewhurst, with big bucks and Governor Perry’s support, couldn’t get 50 percent in a crowded field, despite lots of money, TV commercials galore and gall that had no bounds. Challenger Ted Cruz, darling of the far right, ran a good race, has some bucks himself and just might be the July victor. Another “oops” incident in the making?
More amazing? Underfinanced Donna Campbell in the state senate race put the britches on both incumbent Republican Jeff Wentworth and the darling of the Austin lobby and the Governor’s top lobbyist Elizabeth Ames Jones. Campbell is in a runoff with Wentworth, who is resilient and should not be counted out. But Campbell has lots of support and will probably pull it out. The winner will face Democrat John Courage in November.
Sheriff Gary Cutler won bigger than most folks expected. It means four years of clear sailing for Cutler.
The big farce was the claim by some dissident Republicans that they would give Commissioner Will Conley a hard run for re-election to the safest Republican seat on the commissioners court. Newcomer to the county election scene, Sam Brannon was going to be the instrument of change. It was a disaster. Brannon, who appeared out of the mists from somewhere, got less than 30 percent of the vote, despite the endorsement of some Conley haters in the Wimberley wing of the Democratic Party. Much ado about nothing, as it turned out.
Folks of all political stripes should agree on this. In a four-way contest for district judge between two Hays County lawyers and two from Comal County, the runoff is between David Glickler of Buda and Bruce Boyer of New Braunfels.
Hays Republicans of every stripe should rally around Glickler to put him over the top next month. Boyer is a good man, but Comal County has dominated the district court for 20 years and will have four judges if he wins while Hays County would have zilch.
Click the Glickler square if you vote in the run-off.
