Comments from Republican congressional hopeful Josh Winegarner regarding Bell Helicopter in Amarillo are drawing push back from Winegarner’s primary opponents.

In recently surfaced comments by Winegarner at the Wichita County Republican Party forum last week, Winegarner makes comments, which his opponents contend show he would support moving training operations at Bell Helicopter from Amarillo to Wichita Falls. In the question about preserving Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Winegarner mentioned several programs he believes could be shifted to the area, including some Bell operations.

“So, Sheppard Air Force base does provide a pivotal point in our national security and defense, and it is strong….it is not going anywhere anytime soon.” Winegarner says in the clip. “But we can’t just stop there, we always have to be looking forward. We’ve got to look for new missions we can bring on. We’ve got to be looking for other opportunities. The F-35 fighters are built in Fort Worth, why aren’t we doing the maintenance on them here and the flight training here instead of in Florida? Bell Helicopter in Amarillo has the tiltrotor program. Why aren’t we doing that maintenance and flight training here also?”

The clip was made a campaign issue on Tuesday by Republican candidate Vance Snider, who accused Winegarner of supporting moving “parts of Bell Helicopter to Wichita Falls.”

“If you live in Amarillo and work at Bell Helicopter, did you know that Josh Winegarner wants to eliminate your job and move parts of Bell Helicopter to Wichita Falls,” Snider asked in a post to supporters on Facebook.

In a phone interview, Snider also added that he feels such a move would hurt the overall Amarillo economy, regardless of where the programs might go.

“Bell Helicopter is important to the local economy in Amarillo, including the Rick Husband International Airport,” Snider said. “Even talking about moving flight training from Amarillo to somewhere else is like robbing Peter to pay Paul's local economy.”

Following the criticism, Winegarner’s campaign issued a statement insisting the candidate does not support moving Bell Helicopter outside of Amarillo.

“In the video clip he’s referencing, we were discussing ways in which to increase the number of missions at Sheppard Air Force base - another critical national security installation in this district. At no time did I mention closing the plant or moving jobs from Amarillo to Wichita Falls,” Winegarner said in a Facebook statement, adding he feels the criticism from Snider’s campaign is a “scare tactic.”

However, not all candidates feel this way. Republican candidate Rich Herman said he believes voters should be concerned about any possible personnel moves from Bell Helicopter.

“I’m in total disagreement with moving personnel,” Herman said. “If we want to talk expansion of Sheppard Air Force Base, there are many other ways to do it.”

Candidate Jason Foglesong also agreed with those sentiments, saying such a move of any program would hurt the Amarillo area.

“Taking any opportunities from Amarillo is a mistake because we are stealing from Peter to pay Paul,” Foglesong said. “Our employees are already here. Our facilities are already here. If we take that stuff from Amarillo, it will leave those facilities empty and we’ll have to spend more money to develop in Wichita Falls. The Bell employees are already here and they would have to relocate or lose their jobs and Amarillo would lose everything they bring to our community.”

Winegarner currently works as industry affairs director for the Texas Cattle Feeders Association and has worked as a lobbyist, according to records with the Texas Ethics Commission. He is one of 15 Republicans running to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon). Thornberry has endorsed Winegarner as his preferred successor.

Voters will decide this race on March 3.