Stick with Riddle and Applewhite

Texas has a strange calendar for party primaries, which results in the main primary election being separated from any runoffs by over two months.

Years ago, Texas' primaries were later in the spring, but they were moved back to get attention for the presidential races - you know, the earlier the better. This year the primary fell on the earliest date possible - March 1.

BUT then, to keep the runoff from infringing on the annual calendar for local elections - city council, school boards and such - the party runoff is pushed way past them. This year the runoff is May 24.

Lots of counties probably don't have runoffs, and so it's not of much concern. But we have two in Titus County - and they're pretty important.

With the retirement of Precinct 3 Commissioner Phillip Hinton, there's an open seat. In the three-way game of musical chairs, Bobby Parr was eliminated, and we have to decide between Dana Applewhite and Scott Murray.

In the Precinct 1 race, incumbent Al Riddle had two opponents, and despite being considerably ahead, didn't quite get that 50 percent plus one vote majority. In this case, Jeff Parchman was the odd man out, leaving Mack Love in the race.

Both Riddle and Applewhite were considerably ahead of their opponents in the March 1 vote - Riddle led Love 511 to 389, while Applewhite was ahead of Murray 310 to 252.

There are a number of reasons why both Riddle and Applewhite deserve to win in this final round. First and foremost, it's because it's the Republican Party primary, and they are good Republicans. Titus County is heavily Republican, and we deserve the right of popular representation. We know its a concept that's been eroded when you have a corrupt Democratic administration in Washington riding roughshod over our civil rights; people are getting into the habit of being led like sheep instead of standing up for their liberties like free men and women.

But we know Texas is different than the rest of the nation, and like the Chamber of Commerce motto says, we're "Everything Texas". People like Riddle and Applewhite stand up for democracy and popular representation, not bureaucracy and regulatory despotism.

Their opponents are opportunists who are riding the Republican bandwagon for the traditional small town reasons - preferential treatment and job patronage. They are not good Republicans. The voters should not be fooled into supporting old boys who want a comfy government job to supplement their business or retirement.

A good second reason to support Riddle and Applewhite is that we all need people on the commissioners court who will ask questions and act as fiscal conservatives. The Republican Party has always done that better than the Democrats, having such a long tradition of being the "loyal opposition", especially in Texas.

Al Riddle had a track record of asking questions and representing the beleaguered taxpayers on the court. Taxes always go up - at all levels and every year - and the old boys from Washington D.C.  to Mount Pleasant never "get it". We taxpayers are sick of having our pockets picked to pay for your country club dues and brother-in-law's job.

Al Riddle has never been a "get along go along" chump, and we still need him to keep up the fight, and we need to send in Dana Applewhite to help him. If you think your tax bill is outrageous now, imagine how bad it could be without somebody fighting back.

The early in-person voting is being held this week, Monday through Friday, at the county election office downtown. Because these are the Republican Party's nominees, you have to have voted Republican March 1st - and have your voting card stamped that way -  to vote in the runoff.

Like we said, this is pretty important - there are no Democrats on the ballot in the fall general election. So make your choices now.

And if your choice is - like so many people say as taxes continue to rise - that "I'm to going to move some place else", remember, at some time you will have to make a stand, because some day there will be no place to hide.