Dateline: March 4, 2010

J. Hall, Sawyer heading to GOP run-off election

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Dan Sawyer was the top vote-getter in the three-man race for the Republican nomination for Donley County Commissioner Precinct 4 Tuesday, but he did not garner the more than 50 percent necessary to avoid a run-off election.

Sawyer received 71 votes or 40.8 percent compared to 54 votes (31 percent) for Joe Hall and 49 votes (28.2 percent) for Bill Spier. Hall and Sawyer will square off in an April 13 run-off election to determine who will face Democratic nominee Brad Dalton this fall.

Also in Tuesday's Republican Primary, incumbent Precinct 2 Commissioner Donnie Hall fended off a challenge from Mitchell Martin, 134-83.

Local Republicans running unopposed were US. Rep Mac Thornberry (506), County Clerk candidate Janette Cox Wagner (395), County Treasurer Wanda Smith (506), Pct. 3&4 Justice of the Peace candidate Denise Bertrand (187), and Party Chairman Tom Stauder (441).

Gov. Rick Perry was the favorite of Donley County Republicans in his bid for re-election over US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, 279-247.  GOP challenger Debra Medina received 89 votes locally.

Colleen Owens received the Democratic nod for Justice of the Peace in Precincts 3&4. In the only locally contested race on the Democratic ticket, Owens defeated Wright, 69 to 40, and will face Republican Bertrand the General Election this fall.

Donley County Democrats liked Bill White over Frouk Shami, 110 - 10.

Unopposed local candidates on the Democratic ballot included County Judge Jack Hall (144), County/District Clerk Fay Vargas (140), Pct. 1&2 Justice of the Peace Connie Havens (48), Pct. 4 Commissioner candidate Brad Dalton (16), and Party Chair Jean Taylor (76).
Republican who were unopposed locally included US Rep. Mac Thornberry, County Treasurer Wanda Smith, Pct. 3&4 Justice of the Peace candidate Denise Bertrand, County/District Clerk candidate Janette Gail Wagner Cox, and Party Chairman Tom Stauder.

A total of 164 voted in Tuesday’s Democratic Party primary, and 600 voted in the Republican primary. That represents a total voter turnout county-wide of 31.2 percent.

This year’s General Election will be held Tuesday, November 2.