REPUBLICAN PRIMARY ENDORSEMENTS

Before the old Liberty County Republican Party Chairman even leaves town, the new one’s plea for keeping everything “positive” among Republicans may be tested. But I hope not.

Over the last few months it has become more and more obvious that some of the most outspoken activists in Liberty county will differ on who they want to win between two potential primary opponents in two different races. My hope is that the group known as The Outsiders who now count former Republican candidate Eddie Shauberger among them, will promote their choice for sheriff and for district attorney in a positive race with no negative campaigning. I am urging Shauberger and The Outsiders to join me in following County Chairman Ken Coleman’s directive and just lay out to the public their view of why they plan to vote the way they plan to vote. I hope they can express why they believe Henry Patterson deserves to serve four more years and why attorney James Farmer should serve the next four years as district attorney while people like me do the same thing on behalf of our choice for these positions.

As for me, I solicited both of the leading candidates for sheriff to run for office years ago and hope they will both discourage negative campaigning as our primary is conducted. Years ago I was the county chairman when Bobby Rader decided he wanted to run for JP and that despite a streak of over 100 years of Democrats holding the position he was running for, Bobby wanted to run as a Republican. Around that same time, I was invited to try and persuade Henry Patterson to run as a Republican for county sheriff. That position had not had a Republican win in over 100 years either and I liked Henry and wanted to help a small handful of people talk him into running in our party. Of course as many of you remember, we were unsuccessful and Henry ran the first time as a Democrat Unfortunately Henry was defeated in the Democrat’s primary by one of the Republican party’s most notorious foes, Greg Arthur. Thankfully, Henry changed his mind four years later and ran as a Republican and beat Arthur. Though I am supporting his primary opponent, I must say that anyone who knows Henry Patterson knows he is a true Republican. Both men are fine family oriented church-going Christians and surely would like a primary race like Chairman Coleman envisions.

Though I like both men and have friends that will support both men, I have come to the conclusion Bobby Rader would be the best man for the job the next four years. I appreciate both men’s contribution to the local Republican Party and wish them both well. Of course I am just any one person and am not sure anyone will really care who I support, but in the tradition of Liberty Dispatch and with the freedom I now have because I do not hold any position in the party, I hereby endorse Bobby Rader for sheriff.

In the primary for district attorney it again is my hope to promote the idea of being “positive” in our primary as I differ from Shauberger and The Outsiders and choose to back Assistant County Attorney Karen McNair rather than James Farmer they have said they will be promoting. I have met James Farmer and in my two brief conversations he seems to be a very capable and very charming person. Over the summer I have been very pleased to get to know Karen McNair and find out who the person that has been working so hard the last few years to help build a stronger local Republican party. The truth is I was very suspicious of Karen before I got to know her, and I have really enjoyed finding out she is a good ole common sense conservative Republican just like her parents and that she is the kind of person who is motivated to do whatever she feels like is best for our community. Again this is just one man’s opinion, but at this time... I will be urging Republicans to choose her as our candidate for the general election.

These endorsements represent the views of Richard Pegues. The former three term Liberty County Republican Party Chairman is one of Liberty Dispatch’s and Liberty County’s most politically knowledgeable contributors .