The March 1 Republican Primary ballot filled up Monday, the last day to file, with contested races for county judge, Commissioner’s Precinct 2, district clerk, 244th Judicial District judge and three of the four justice of the peace posts.
Filing just hours before the 6 p.m. deadline, County Judge Debi Hays threw her hat into the ring against Dustin Fawcett, who seeks to unseat her at the end of her first four-year term in the $129,068 a year job.
Billy Tripp and Ryan Patton oppose longtime Republican Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Simmons while Cindy Weir-Nutter joined Dennis Jones and Lori Ruiz-Crutcher in the race to succeed the retiring 244th District Court Judge James Rush. Incumbent Republican District Clerk Clarissa Webster is challenged by Christina Bryson.
Democratic incumbent Precinct 4 Commissioner Armando S. Rodriguez is running for re-election and his jurisdiction is seeing the unusual event of a Republican, Billy Hall, oppose him in the Nov. 8, 2022, general election for the $65,127 a year job.
Rodriguez will also face Savannah Morales and Joe Davila in the March 1 Democratic Primary.
Precinct 1 JP Terry Lange is opposed by Steve Brennan and Melissa Gonzales and Precinct 2 JP Missi Walden by Cynthia Moreno and Ron Hughes.
Longtime Precinct 3 JP Sherwood Kupper did not file for re-election and Republicans Freddy Redmon, Bill Bowen and Murle Graham seek to replace him, as does Democrat Gerardo Arzate.
County Democratic Chairman Hannah Horick said Elizabeth Baeza had filed along with Jesse Porras and Alford Littleton in the Democratic Primary to succeed the retiring Precinct 4 JP Eddy Spivey. “I’m excited to see a robust primary in Precinct 4,” Horick said.
“It is a sign that we will have a more engaged electorate come March. It’s going to be a fun spring.”
Unopposed Republicans are County Attorney Lee McClendon, County Clerk Jennifer Martin, County Treasurer Cleopatra Callaway, 70th District Court Judge Denn Whalen, 358th District Court Judge John Shrode, Place 1 Court-at-Law Judge Brooke Hendricks and Place 2 Court-at-Law Judge Chris Clark.
“It’s interesting,” said Ector County Republican Chairman Tisha Crow. “We never have this much excitement in the JP races and we have a Republican running for Precinct 4 commissioner for the first time.
“That is very exciting. I expect runoffs in JP Precincts 1, 2 and 3.”
In the District 81 State Rep race, incumbent Brooks Landgraf of Odessa faces Odessan Casey Gray while Kevin Sparks of Midland, Stormy Bradley of Big Spring and Jesse Quackenbush and Tim Reid of Amarillo are vying for the Republican nomination to succeed the retiring 31st District State Sen. Kel Seliger of Amarillo.
