Now that we officially know that U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry is calling it quits after over two decades of service in Washington, we can begin to look forward to what is coming in 2020, and regardless of whether you are a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, or independent, one thing is clear - the 13th District deserves a serious race next year.

The name Thornberry has become synonymous with Washington in the eyes of many Panhandle voters over the past few years, which makes 2020 so intriguing. With the longtime Republican heading to retirement, our voters will now be tasked with selecting a brand new representative to serve the 13th District. A few candidates have already thrown their names out for consideration, and Republican Vance Snider and Democrat Greg Sagan have gone a step further in officially declaring their candidacies.

Personally, I am hoping for a large field to assemble in this race, as I think the 13th District has to make one of its most important decisions in choosing who will replace Thornberry. Because of the importance of this vote, this district deserves to hear from and choose from a wide range or ideologies and issues in this race. At the end of the day, whoever wins their primary and eventually the November election will serve the district for at least two years (and likely more). This makes this vote crucial that we know all the candidates and can make a bold, informed decision on election day.

-Thomas Warren III, Editor-in-Chief