Two important county races will be on the ballots for voters in Potter County this November.
First, Potter County voters will choose who will serve as their county attorney for the next four years, with Republican Scott Brumley seeking another term in office. Brumley will face prominent criminal defense attorney Ryan Brown as his opponent for this year’s election. Brown, a Democrat, is making his first bid for electoral office this year. Both men won their primaries unopposed earlier this year.
In questionnaires submitted to the Amarillo Pioneer by the candidates before the primary elections on March 3, both candidates are taking clear stances as to why they are the most qualified candidates to serve voters in Potter County. For the incumbent, Brumley is showcasing a message of experience for local voters.
“I have fifteen years of experience in this position,” Brumley said in the primary questionnaire. “In the current environment, with increasing hostility to law enforcement, that experience and the dedication it demonstrates will be key in facing the challenges sure to confront the office in the coming days, weeks, months, and years. This is not a particularly opportune time for someone leading the County Attorney's Office to have to learn the job from the ground up while trying to do it.”
Meanwhile, Brown says he hopes to earn the support of local voters as a candidate who promises to bring reforms to Potter County.
“I will work hard to fix the expensive and broken justice system in Potter County, which has made us a statewide and nationwide laughing stock,” Brown said. “I will always stand up for the people and demand they decide on any large expenditures by the county. We need to be responsible with our spending for future generations. I will advocate for the people of Potter County in all I do.”
According to the Texas Association of Counties, a county attorney has the following duties: representing the state in prosecuting misdemeanor criminal cases; working with law enforcement officers in the investigation of criminal cases; providing legal advice to the Commissioners Court and to other elected officials; and bringing civil enforcement actions on behalf of the state or county.
Also on the ballot, Potter County voters in Precinct 4 will choose their constable, with Democrat Idella Thomas-Jackson, the incumbent, seeking another term in the job. Thomas-Jackson is one of five Democrats currently holding an elected position in the county. She will be opposed by Republican Kerry Haney, who voters remember as a previous candidate for Potter County Court at Law #1 in 2018.
Thomas-Jackson won her primary unopposed earlier this year, while Haney won his spot in the general election after clinching victory against Norman Dowlen.
Both candidates are also emphasizing their qualifications in hopes of earning the backing of voters in Precinct 4. For Thomas-Jackson, the incumbent is asking voters to look at her record in the position in hopes of earning another term in office.
“I am actively involved in the community and have a vested interest in its future,” Thomas-Jackson wrote in her primary election questionnaire in The Pioneer. "“During my tenure as Constable, I haven't received a single complaint about the service I provided. This job requires you to have a background in criminal justice/law enforcement in order for the office to be successful. Not having a background in this field can create a huge liability not only to the individual but the county as a whole.”
However, Haney says his ability to work with others in Precinct 4 is what sets him apart in the race.
“The ability to work across cultural, socio-economic and ethnic boundaries,” Haney wrote in his primary questionnaire, when asked why he is the best candidate for voters to support.
A third county race, which was expected to the contested on the November ballot, will not be contested this year. Precinct 2 Constable Georgia Estrada, a Democrat, will be unopposed for re-election after her opponent was declared ineligible to appear on the ballot.
Early voting in these elections begins on October 13. Election Day is November 3.