Wade Overstreet and Jerry Morales, two Republican candidates running for Potter County Court at Law #2, released a joint statement on Tuesday, taking aim at the Amarillo Globe-News in its endorsement of one of their opponents.
In the statement, Morales and Overstreet criticized Amarillo Globe-News editor Dave Henry's endorsement of Matt Hand, an attorney at Brown and Fortunato, in the Potter County Court at Law #2 race. Referring to Hand as the "third candidate" in the race, the statement discussed that Hand has, admittedly, had no criminal court experience. However, Henry stated in his endorsement that Hand had over thirty years of experience.
"While that may be technically true, Henry fails to recognize that zero of the third candidate’s trial experience is criminal, and County Court at Law #2 is primarily a criminal court," the candidates said in the statement.
The statement also criticized Hand for saying that pretrial diversion for first-time offenders is not being used in Potter County. Morales and Overstreet contend, however, that the practice has been in use for sometime in Potter County.
Overstreet is a prosecutor for Potter County and Morales is a self-proprietor attorney. The winner of the race between the three political newcomers will succeed the retiring Judge Pamela Cook Sirmon.
Voters will decide this race on March 6th. A runoff, if necessary, will be held on May 22nd.
Photos Courtesy of Campaigns