Posted on 08/28/2006 10:46:53 AM PDT by freepatriot32
AUSTIN – Jim Fuller, Libertarian candidate for Texas House District 38, has died.
Fuller was vacationing at his stepson’s house in Kalamazoo, Mich., when he did not wake up the morning of Aug. 12, said Floyd Murray, his stepson. The cause of death was ruled congestive hear t failure.
Fuller’s death leaves only Eddie Lucio III on the November ballot for the open seat that includes most of Harlingen and northern Brownsville. Lucio III, considered to be the frontrunner, has wide family influence and was the only candidate raising money.
The Republican candidate, Brownsville businessman Luis Cavazos, withdrew from the race in June.
Fuller was 79, but his death was “quite a shock” because he took such great care of himself, Murray said.
“He didn’t believe in doctors and he ate all the healthy foods and didn’t eat meat. You know, a regular health nut,” Murray said. “He went for his walks every day.”
The Libertarian Executive Committee in Cameron County has until Aug. 29 to choose a replacement candidate, said Scott Hay-wood, spokesman for the Texas Secretary of State.
Fred Drew, chairman of the Cameron County Libertarian Party, said upon hearing the news of Fuller’s death that he was sad-dened and wanted to find a replacement.
“The County Libertarian Executive Committee is conferring as to the best direction to take and expects to make an announce-ment shortly,” Drew said in a statement released Friday afternoon.
If the local party doesn’t chose a replacement, state Libertarian officials have until Sept. 1 to choose someone, Haywood said. Af-ter that, the seat would automatically go to Lucio III.
Drew said he would miss Fuller.
“Though I only knew him briefly, I know I will suffer the loss of his mature and thoughtful advice,” he said.
Murray said his stepfather worked as a Harlingen handyman until he died. At the time of his death, Fuller was two-thirds of the way through a three-week vacation and was looking forward to returning to Harlingen for a new business enterprise: he had just bought eight vending machines that distribute healthy snacks, Murray said.
Fuller was born Dec. 1, 1926, in Buffalo, N.Y. He fought in the Navy during World War II, and in the Air Force during the Korean War, Murray said.
Fuller said in a previous interview he had a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico and had worked as a civil engi-neer, land surveyor and construction engineer. He spent several years working for an oil company in Saudi Arabia, he said.
A lifelong Republican, he said he became disillusioned with the party when then-governor George W. Bush began raising money from large corporations to run for president. He switched to the Libertarian Party to defend the Constitution, he said.
His run for the Texas House was his first campaign for public office. He had not raised any money and did not plan to actively campaign, he said.
On Friday, Murray was at Fuller’s Harlingen home shuffling through paperwork and trying to notify other family members who were scattered around the country, he said.
Murray said Fuller had a sister in Sacramento, Calif., and a brother in New York, but it was not clear what other family members were survived by him. Fuller married Murray’s mother within the past decade, but she died three years ago, Murray said.
Lucio III first learned of Fuller’s death on Friday.
“The most important thing is contemplating on making sure his family’s OK,” Lucio III said. “It’s so hard to talk about politics right now, given the circumstances.”
District 38 incumbent Rep. Jim Solis, D-Harlingen, decided not to seek another term.
epierson@link.freedom.com
IIRC this guy had the best shot of being the first Libertarian in office
Hmmm, looks like he was suffering for years with an undiagnosed case of BDS.
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here
Well if Delay couldn't be taken off the ballot in his district then I don't see how this candidate can be removed either. He may be the first dead Congressman elected in Texas.
I knew Eddie Lucio, Jr. when he was County Treasurer of Cameron County. It's a very political family and the Democratic candidate is a shoe-in here unfortunately. Also, it's practically a lifetime appointment down there.
Since Delay is not critically ill, he was not allowed to withdraw and be replaced on the ballot that late in the race.
He tried to do an end run around Texas elections code by claiming that moving out of state made him ineligible to run for office under the US Constitution, but since the constitution only required residency on the day of the election, the judge ruled that residing outside of Texas did not make Delay an ineligible candidate, since he could simply choose to move back at any time.
Since Delay is still eligible to run for the office, the Republican party cannot replace him on the ballot.
“He didn’t believe in doctors”
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lol, gotta love the spirit. he lived to a ripe old age. RIP
" He switched to the Libertarian Party to defend the Constitution "
Thank GOD somebody is still trying to save the Consitution!
If this guy honestly believed that it was unconsitutional for large companies to donate to election campaigns, he was not all there.
If he believed that it is consistent with libertarian principles to oppose corporations donating to election campaigns, then he was even more confused.
Won't a Republican join the race, now?
RIP.
That district is a Democrat district. No reason to waste time and money running a Republican candidate.
He was running for the state House, not Congress. And the judges ruled that DeLay could not be *replaced* on the ballot, not that he couldn't be removed.
Well, at least he'll have something in common with most Democrat voters. BTW, have LBJ's "86 Dead Mexicans" been struck from the rolls yet?
That is because Ashcroft is a gentleman.
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