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Crowded field assures hectic campaign to replace Combest in Congress
Lubbock, TX, Avalanche-Journal ^ | 04-03-03 | Fuquay, John

Posted on 04/03/2003 5:54:29 AM PST by Theodore R.

Crowded field assures hectic campaign for District 19 seat

By JOHN FUQUAY AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

In what promises to be an unusual campaign, 17 names will appear on a ballot May 3 for a special election to choose the next U.S. representative from District 19.

"Public forums are going to be mayhem," Lubbock political analyst Morris Wilkes said. "And there's only 30 days to campaign."

As Wednesday's filing deadline passed, the field of candidates ballooned to 17 men and women representing six political parties. Each candidate is hoping to replace U.S. Rep. Larry Combest, the Lubbock Republican who is retiring May 31 after 18 years in office.

Wilkes said he cannot recall an election with so many candidates, although, he said, some will be longshots to win.

"Of all of the 17 candidates in there, probably not all 17 are viable candidates," he said. "Probably five or six candidates will be able to raise most of the money."

The 19-county District 19 includes Lubbock, Midland and Odessa for the first time. Before redistricting from the 2000 census the district included all of Lubbock, but only portions of Midland and Odessa.

The seat has always been held by someone living in Lub bock. Democrat George Mahon was the first representative, serving from 1935-79, followed by Kent Hance, also a Democrat, from 1979 to 1985. Combest has held the seat since then.

Of the 17 candidates, nine are from Lubbock, four from Midland, two from Odessa and one each are from Denver City and Kermit.

The field has 11 Republicans, two Democrats and one candidate each from the Libertarian, Green and Con- stitution parties. One candidate is independent.

Important dates • Voter registration deadline: 5 p.m. April 3

• Early voting begins: April 16

• Election day: May 3

U.S. Congress, District 19

Candidates whose names will be on the ballot:

• RICHARD BARTLETT, 38, R-Midland, physician

• JOHN BELL, 50, R-Kermit, oil field supervisor

• JAMIE BERRYHILL, 50, R-Odessa, public servant

• BILL CHRISTIAN, 40, R-Midland, public servant

• MIKE CONAWAY, 54, R-Midland, certified public accountant

• THOMAS FLOURNOY, 79, C-Midland, self-employed repairman

• KAYE GADDY, 64, D-Odessa, retired newscaster

• E.L. "ED" HICKS, 72, I-Denver City, retired farmer

• CARL ISETT, 46, R-Lubbock, certified public accountant

• DAVID LANGSTON, 50, R-Lubbock, lawyer

• DONALD MAY, 57, R-Lubbock, physician

• RANDY NEUGEBAUER, 53, R-Lubbock, land developer

• JULIA PENELOPE, 61, G-Lubbock, self-employed

• CHIP PETERSON, 63, L-Lubbock, author, investor, professor

• JERRI SIMMONS-ASMUSSEN, 47, D-Lubbock, self-employed

• VICKIE SUTTON, 43, R-Lubbock, law professor

• STACE WILLIAMS, 36, R-Lubbock, lawyer

Wilkes, who is not representing any of the candidates, said special elections have special dynamics.

"There are not going to be a lot of extra voters going to the polls with interests in other elections, like in a general election," he said. "There'll be some exceptions in local elections, but most voters will have a candidate in mind.

"It's imperative that the candidates identify their voters and get them to vote. The roll of the dice is who will be the top two vote-getters."

Wilkes said it is "highly improbable" that one candidate will receive a majority of the votes. Therefore, the top two vote-getters would meet in a runoff election.

Combest surprised his constituents just days after the November general election when he said he would retire in May. He said he wanted to spend more time with his wife.

Combest had been chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. His successor will keep Combest's seat on the committee, but not as chairman.

The next representative will complete the term for the 108th Congress and would have to seek re-election in March 2004 primaries to retain the seat.

jfuquay@lubbockonline.com 766-8722


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 11republicans; 2democrats; combest; congress; lubbock; may3; midland; specialelection; tx
It has been my impression that many conservatives in the district are supporting State Rep. Carl Islett of Lubbock. What do others know? The Republican David Langston, former Democrat mayor of Lubbock (elected on a nonpartisan ballot) switched parties to make this race.
1 posted on 04/03/2003 5:54:30 AM PST by Theodore R.
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To: Theodore R.
*Bump*
2 posted on 04/03/2003 2:45:33 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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To: fieldmarshaldj
This open district in West Texas is the one that George W. Bush lost to Kent Hance in the 1978 general election. Hance later (1984) ran for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat and lost the primary to the liberal Lloyd Doggett, now a congressman from Austin. Thereafter, Hance switched parties and was a railroad commissioner. In 1990, Hance lost the Republican gubernatorial nomination to the "foot-in-mouth" favorite, Clayton W. "Claytie" Williams, Jr. Williams in turn lost to Ann Willis Richards.
3 posted on 04/03/2003 3:37:10 PM PST by Theodore R.
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To: Theodore R.
• RANDY NEUGEBAUER, 53, R-Lubbock, land developer

Will win in a cake walk.
4 posted on 04/03/2003 3:41:08 PM PST by SPRINK
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To: SPRINK
Are you saying that one of 15 candidates will surpass 50 percent plus one vote in the first round of the special election? Tell us about this candidate.
5 posted on 04/03/2003 3:44:17 PM PST by Theodore R.
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To: Theodore R.
And as we all remember, Hance ran to the right of Dubya ! I wonder if Hance could've won as a Conservative Dem against Phil Gramm in '84 (possibly, but I'll bet a lot of 'Rats would've sat that one out). Despite the claims of the Conservatism of "Lord" Bentsen, there hasn't been a real Conservative Dem. Senator since the ultrabrief tenure of "Dollar Bill" Blakely in '61 (appointed by Price Daniel), who was then defeated by John Tower in the special in June of that year to become the first GOP Senator since Morgan Hamilton in the 1870s. Think Hance could've beat old Ma Richards ?
6 posted on 04/03/2003 3:57:35 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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To: Theodore R.; SPRINK
Hey, maybe we're talking to Mr. Neugebauer ? :-) Seriously, though, I doubt anyone will get out of the 30% range in this race. I have no idea who the leader is.
7 posted on 04/03/2003 3:59:38 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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To: fieldmarshaldj
DJ, Price Daniel, Sr., of Liberty, Texas, was the governor and former senator in 1961, when John Tower won the special election runoff to succeed Lyndon B. Johnson. Tower faced a crowded field in the May special election that included the late future Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez, liberal Maury Maverick of San Antonio, Attorney General at the time Will Wilson, future House Speaker and then Congressman "Fort Worthless" Jim Wright, and Daniel's appointee, William Blakely. Blakely actually served TWO appointed Senate terms. I think Daniel, Sr., appointed him both times. Tower defeated Blakely by a small margin in a special election runoff in June 1961. It was not until after 1957, that TX law required runoffs for special elections.

Daniel, father of the TX sales tax, lost the Democrat primary in 1962 to John B. Connally, who went on to win only narrowly over Republican Jack Cox, a Houston oilman. But in 1964 and 1966, Connally won by margins above 70 percent.

Daniel, Sr., may be the only Texan in modern times who has served in the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of TX government. He was a judge after vacating the governorship. And he was a U.S. senator too!

His son, Price, Jr., a former TX House speaker, was killed, possibly by his wife, in the late 1970s. I can't recall the details. ABC did a TV movie of the Daniel, Jr., tragedy.

I think that Kent Hance could have defeated Richards. Unlike "Claytie," he knew when to speak and when to remain silent. Hance is one of those who had a boyhood dream of being governor of TX, but it was not to be.
8 posted on 04/03/2003 4:26:06 PM PST by Theodore R.
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To: fieldmarshaldj
"Ma" Richards is now a well-heeled lobbyist in WASHINGTON. Austin is too small for her now!
9 posted on 04/03/2003 4:27:05 PM PST by Theodore R.
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To: Theodore R.
"DJ, Price Daniel, Sr., of Liberty, Texas, was the governor and former senator in 1961, when John Tower won the special election runoff to succeed Lyndon B. Johnson. Tower faced a crowded field in the May special election that included the late future Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez, liberal Maury Maverick of San Antonio, Attorney General at the time Will Wilson, future House Speaker and then Congressman "Fort Worthless" Jim Wright, and Daniel's appointee, William Blakely. Blakely actually served TWO appointed Senate terms."

Right you are. When Daniel moved to the Governorship, he appointed him to the seat (on the same day he was inaugurated Governor, I don't know if that was an attempt to prevent Gov. Shivers from doing it, though I doubt Shivers, an Ike Democrat, would've put anyone much more liberal in the seat). Blakely declined to run against Yarborough that year ('57) for the short term, but he did challenge him unsuccessfully in '58 for the long term.

"Daniel, father of the TX sales tax, lost the Democrat primary in 1962 to John B. Connally, who went on to win only narrowly over Republican Jack Cox, a Houston oilman. But in 1964 and 1966, Connally won by margins above 70 percent."

Daniel placed a humiliating 3rd after Connally and Don Yarborough (a liberal and friend, but not relative, of Sen. Ralph's). Connally barely edged Yarborough in the runoff (and I mean by only 27k votes out of 1.2 million). Cox ran in the Dem. primary against Daniel in 1960 and did quite respectibly (received 600k votes to Daniel's 900k). By 1962, there wasn't even 100k voters in the GOP primary, so Cox had a very easy time of it. The race was close (between Cox and Connally), but not as close as the Dem. runoff. Connally won by 847k to 715k for Cox. In the Dem. primary rematch 2 years later, Connally blitzed Don Yarborough by a landslide. Yarborough would later place first in the 1968 Gubernatorial primary, but was beaten by Preston Smith in the runoff (the GOP probably would've won the Governorship that year if Don had gotten the nod).

"His son, Price, Jr., a former TX House speaker, was killed, possibly by his wife, in the late 1970s. I can't recall the details. ABC did a TV movie of the Daniel, Jr., tragedy."

I heard it was some strange scene. It was his second wife that murdered him. He was only 39.

"I think that Kent Hance could have defeated Richards. Unlike "Claytie," he knew when to speak and when to remain silent. Hance is one of those who had a boyhood dream of being governor of TX, but it was not to be."

That's too bad. However, if Williams or Hance had won, Dubya would never have become President and might have been a vastly different country today. Perhaps Williams's infamous "rape" gaffe was a "Godsend."

10 posted on 04/03/2003 5:12:30 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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To: fieldmarshaldj
if Williams or Hance had won, Dubya would never have become President

Who said this: "Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, 'it might have been.'" I can't recall.

So, if G.W. had been elected to Congress in 1978, he may have never been president either. But we cannot relive the last 25 years to find out!
11 posted on 04/03/2003 5:22:47 PM PST by Theodore R.
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To: Theodore R.
"So, if G.W. had been elected to Congress in 1978, he may have never been president either. But we cannot relive the last 25 years to find out!"

Somehow, some way, I think it was his destiny to become President. He would've served 3 terms in the House, perhaps then succeeding John Tower in the Senate (rather than Phil Gramm) in '84, and then maybe becoming Governor as he did in either 1990 or '94.

12 posted on 04/03/2003 5:37:40 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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