Former Amarillo mayor Paul Harpole is getting involved in the 320th District Judge election in Amarillo, throwing his support behind former city attorney Marcus W. Norris.
In finance statements filed last week, Norris reported receiving $100 from Paul and Jenny Harpole. The statement lists Harpole as the owner of "Harpol Motors."
The donation from the Harpoles is not the only donation from an ex-city official that Norris reported during the most recent fundraising period. Norris also reported receiving $100 from former Amarillo city commissioner Lilia Escajeda and $250 from Joe Bob McCartt, the husband of former mayor Debra McCartt.
Harpole served as mayor of Amarillo from 2011 until 2017. He was first elected in an eleven candidate field in 2011, and later won re-election unopposed in 2013 and narrowly topped Roy D. McDowell in 2015's contest. Harpole was succeeded by Ginger Nelson, who he had endorsed.
Norris, a former city attorney and Underwood Law Firm attorney, is facing Potter County Court at Law judge Pamela Cook Sirmon and Amarillo attorneys Steven Michael Denny and Lynda Smith in the March 6th Republican primary. The winner of the contest will not face a Democratic opponent in November and will likely succeed the retiring Judge Don Emerson.
A May runoff will be held, if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote on March 6th.
