Candidates for State Comptroller, Agriculture Commissioner, Texas Supreme Court, and State Board of Education stopped at the Erath and Comanche Counties Sept. 10 to campaign and visit with voters.
Campaign speeches began with Janet Dudding saying, “Texas has never had an accountant for State Comptroller, and it shows.” Dudding said that our government is here to provide services to residents. Current leaders in Texas refuse federal funding to expand Medicaid, which would bring healthcare to more Texans. Texas has funds to expand internet access to rural areas, yet the current Comptroller “nixed broadband,” said Dudding. Drawing on her 35 years as a Certified Public Accountant in state and local governments, Dudding plans to use funds already earmarked for providing services, to actually provide services to Texans. She plans to shine a light on the current Comptroller’s role in rising property appraisal values, which has led to higher property taxes.
Susan Hays grew up in a farming family in Brown County. In 2019, Hays helped write and pass a bill that legalized industrial hemp production in Texas. She was appalled that some individuals charged thousands of dollars to “help” farmers get hemp licenses, when the licenses were free and easy to apply for. The corruption she witnessed inspired her to run for offi ce. If elected, Hays plans to use federal funding for Meals on Wheels and school lunches, to support Texas farmers and bring good food to the recipients of those services. Hays noted that the State Office of Rural Health is among the Ag Commissioner’s responsibilities. She said the Agriculture Commission has a program to help rural hospitals, but it “is rotting in the basement.” She will revive the program and give rural hospitals the help they need.
Off stage, in conversation, Susan proved informed on an issue important to some growers and ranchers in Erath and surrounding counties: proposed industrial solar developments. She mentioned that there have been efforts in other areas to build solar arrays compatible with crop and pasture use.
Justice Erin Nowell gave voters a quick course on the court system in Texas: civil and criminal cases start in local or district courts. When a party disagrees with the court’s ruling, they may appeal the ruling in the Court of Appeals. If a party disagrees with the ruling of the Court of Appeals, the case may be taken up by the Court of Criminal Appeals or the Texas Supreme Court.
After earning her law degree, Justice Nowell represented individuals in cases dealing with things like asbestos-related illness or harmful pharmaceutical products. She noted that the Court of Appeals often reduced the settlements awarded to plaintiffs in district court, in favor of big companies. She wanted to change that, so she ran for the Court of Appeals in 2018 with the goal of fairly and impartially serving the people of Texas. Justice Nowell won, and has served on the Texas Court of Appeals since 2019. In 2022, Justice Nowell is on the ballot again. This time she is running for a place on the Texas Supreme Court. She says, “The Texas Supreme Court should have your back!”
At present, Justice Amanda Reichek serves on the Texas Court of Appeals, with Justice Nowell. Reichek was raised in Houston, in a unionsupporting family. She went to law school so she could represent workers. Reminiscing about the 15 years she represented employees in legal cases, Justice Reichek said they were “Good times!” In 2022, Justice Reichek is running for a seat on the Texas Supreme Court because, “We now have a court that does whatever they want, which is to let powerful interests win.” She aims to “bring a little-guy perspective to the Supreme Court.”
Tracy Fisher is a native Texan who was raised in an Air Force family. She and her children, now grown, are products of public education. Fisher has served on the Coppell ISD School Board for 10 years. She is running for the State Board of Education, District 14. One of her goals, if elected, is to stop privatization of education in Texas. Public funds are now used to fund private schools, which are not held to the same standards as public schools. Public schools in Texas are required to provide education to all school-age children; private schools are not. Fisher said, “School vouchers do not help rural schools.”
The gathering ended with an encouraging video message to Erath County from Beto O’Rourke.
Find more information about these candidates at www. janetdudding4- texas. com, www.hays4ag.com, justicenowell.com, justicereichek. com and www. tracyfi sherfortexas. com.