Tarrant County voters sound off on their choices

Voters across Tarrant County were at the polls bright and early, as they opened at 7 a.m. for Super Tuesday.

Interviewed before and after they voted, they all had their own take on this year’s wild and unusual election.

Here is a selection of their comments.

Denise Yeager, Fort Worth.

Yeager said she voted for Hillary Clinton. “I don’t like Donald Trump. I wished I wouldn’t have voted at all but I wanted to cast my vote and Hillary, she’s not ... Donald Trump’s just wanting to be hateful if you’re not white. I don’t go for that.”

George Haggard, 68, Arlington

Haggard said he voted for Ted Cruz, even though he doesn’t like him much.

"I've never like Ted Cruz. Something about Ted Cruz, I just didn't care for. But, when he went to D.C. after he was elected, he did exactly what he told his constituents that he would do. I have to respect that," Haggard said.

"I hate this election. If he had a snowball's chance in hell, I would've voted for Carson.”

Craig Reed, 54, Southlake

"I like Trump because he's not a politician," Reed said. He likes the idea of having someone outside the political schema and what he called the "good ol’ boy system."

Steve Espinosa, 51, Arlington

"It's gonna be Cruz or Rubio, but I'm leaning more towards Cruz," Espinosa said. "I like what they stand for."

He said their stances on border issues and being anti-abortion are the main issues that drew him to the two candidates.

Leia Ortiz, 36, Arlington

Ortiz voted early, but was working at the polls.

"I'm basically going to be telling people whether they're in the right district or not," she said. "People forget that early voting you can do it anywhere, but then voting day you need to be in your district."

Ortiz said she voted for Carson. "I think he's rational and levelheaded. He doesn't seem to be too shaken. If somebody challenges him he's ready and willing to meet the challenge."

She added, "I'm concerned about having a president that's a little too emotional, like Trump.”

Jaye Woodmansee, 53, Arlington

Woodmansee just moved to Arlington from Orlando. He said his experience with politics and history gives him a forward-thinking perspective.

"Things are very bad right now for common people," he said. "If you don't have a lot of money the system doesn't work for you. They've spent the last 30 years gearing the system to people that can pay for it.

"We are the only industrialized nation that doesn't give healthcare, cradle to grave, as a right," he said. "That's wrong. You shouldn't make money off of people's illness.”

He said he voted for Bernie Sanders.

Gary Shields, 71, Arlington

Shields said he voted for Hillary Clinton.

"I felt she was the person best suited and best fit and best able to carry on the results of her predecessor," he said. The retired Navy veteran said he has voted in every presidential election since Goldwater in 1964.

"I feel really a commitment to the people who fight for our country," he said. "What commitment is better than that then to vote, if they can dedicate their lives."

Monica Britton, 45, Keller

Britton said she voted for Hillary Clinton because “I’m a Democrat. I believe in women’s rights. I would love to see the first woman president.”

Peter Chelstowski, 59, Tarrant County.

Chelstowski, who originally is from Poland, said he voted on Super Tuesday because it’s an American right. He said he voted for Bernie Sanders because he believes Sanders will improve the country. He said he grew up with ideologies similar to Sanders’ and connected with him.

Dell Adams, 39, Southlake

Adams said she voted for Ted Cruz because he represents Texas. She originally wanted to vote for a Libertarian and believes he is the next best option.

Star-Telegram writer Christian Boschult contributed to this report.

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 10:13 AM with the headline "Tarrant County voters sound off on their choices."