Dateline: November 4, 2004

Lindley defeats Tunnell

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Tax Assessor/Collector Wilma Lindley successfully fended off a challenge by Republican Vicky Tunnell by a margin of 1,085 to 657 when Donley County voters cast their ballots Tuesday.

Lindley’s was the only countywide race to be contested this year, but races in two precincts did produce some drama for the evening.

Former Republican county commissioner Andy Wheatly managed to reverse his fortunes from the 2000 election, successfully ousting the Precinct 3 Democratic incumbent, Henry C. “Buster” Shields, 280 to 135.

In Precincts 3&4, Constable Mike Wallendorff, a Democrat, won the right to keep his job, tallying 449 votes. He easily defeated the write-in candidacy of Tony Sellers, who garnered 153 votes.

In uncontested county races, Sheriff Charles “Butch” Blackburn received 72.3 percent of the county vote, and Commissioner Ernest Johnston got 69 percent of the votes in his Precinct 1.

Donley County voters overwhelmingly preferred US Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) over his Libertarian opponent, M.J. “Smitty” Smith, by a margin of 1,513 to 55.  At press time, Thornberry was leading 120,869 to 8,854 with 281 of 474 precincts reporting.

Local voters also favored reelecting President George W. Bush, giving him 1,420 votes compared to 340 for Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.). The Libertarian ticket received five votes, and one person voted for Ralph Nader.

State Sen. Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock) and State Rep. Warren Chisum (R-Pampa) were both unopposed this year and received 1,302 and 1,371 votes in Donley County. Also unopposed were District Judge David McCoy (D) with 1,159 local votes and District Attorney Stuart Messer (R) with 1,337.

Sixty-eight percent of registered voters in Donley County went to the polls this year. That’s a total of 1,792 ballots cast and is up just slightly compared to the last presidential election in 2000 when 1,759 people voted.