It’s primary Election Day: See Star-Telegram endorsements in top races here | Opinion
Texans may not get much say on the presidential nominations, but there’s plenty of interest on Tuesday’s Republican and Democratic primary ballots.
This election day, Democrats will choose a nominee to take on U.S. Sen Ted Cruz. The parties will nominate candidates in two Fort Worth-area congressional districts that are open for the first time in decades. And throughout GOP legislative races, the battles over school vouchers, Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment and how far right the party should go will finally come to a head.
Here are our recommendations in key competitive races:
REPUBLICANS
12th Congressional District: Replacing a legend, Rep. Kay Granger, is a tall task. But longtime state Rep. Craig Goldman is ready for the promotion. He’d be best positioned among the candidates to climb the leadership ladder in Washington and deliver for Tarrant and Parker counties.
26th Congressional District: Eleven candidates hope to replace Rep. Michael Burgess, but Republicans should go back to the candidate Burgess defeated two decades ago: Scott Armey. His experience in local government and knowledge of the district gives him an edge.
State Board of Education, District 11: Incumbent Republican Pat Hardy has decades of experience as a conservative stalwart on matters such as curriculum and textbooks.
Texas Senate District 30: Among four candidates, emergency physician Carrie de Moor offers the best mix of conservative policy positions and real-world experience that would benefit the Senate.
Texas House District 60: This rematch to represent Parker and two other counties is a proxy fight over school vouchers and divides in the GOP. Incumbent Glenn Rogers deserves another term.
Texas House District 64: Rep. Lynn Stucky has amassed important clout in the Legislature that his two far-right challengers in this Denton/Wise County district can’t match.
Texas House District 65: Incumbent Kronda Thimesch matches this district better than challenger Mitch Little, who gained a high profile as one of Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment lawyers.
Texas House District 91: This north Tarrant County district has a staunchly conservative representative, Stephanie Klick, who leads on important health issues. It should keep her.
Texas House District 97: Open for the first time in a decade as Goldman runs for Congress, this southwest Tarrant County district would benefit from attorney Leslie Robnett’s early-career work as a legislative aide.
Tarrant County tax assessor-collector: Incumbent Wendy Burgess has the office running smoothly and has earned a shot at another term.
DEMOCRATS
U.S. Senate: Nine candidates hope to be the party’s nominee to take on Republican incumbent Ted Cruz. But the best choice is Dallas Rep. Colin Allred, whose bipartisan approach and agreeable mien could persuade some Cruz voters to switch in the general election.
12th Congressional District: Democrats have little hope of flipping this seat, with two young unknown candidates. But Air Force veteran Sebastian Gehrig offers the best case to voters in a strong GOP district.
Texas Senate District 30: Another tough draw for a Democrat. Web developer Dale Frey is thoughtful on issues and has government contracting experience.
House District 97: Of three candidates, educator Carlos Walker brings the best approach on issues for what will be an uphill fall campaign.
Tarrant County sheriff: Federal law-enforcement veteran Patrick Moses has the executive experience to deal with an office struggling with staffing and jail management.
Tarrant County Commissioners Court, Precinct 1: There are four candidates. But it would be hard for others to be better positioned to take up the work of retiring Commissioner Roy Charles Brooks than Roderick Miles, one of Brooks’ top assistants.
Early voting ends March 1, and Election Day is March 5. Any race in which no candidate wins an outright majority will advance to a May 28 runoff featuring the top two finishers.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHey, who is behind these endorsements?
Members of the Editorial Board, which serves as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s institutional voice, decide candidates and positions to recommend to voters. The members of the board are: Cynthia M. Allen, columnist; Steve Coffman, editor and president; Bud Kennedy, columnist; Ryan J. Rusak, opinion editor; and Nicole Russell, opinion writer.
Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
How does the process work?
The Editorial Board interviews candidates, asking about positions on issues, experience and qualifications, and how they would approach holding the office for which they are running. Board members do additional research on candidates’ backgrounds and the issues at hand. After that, members discuss the candidates and generally aim to arrive at a consensus, though not necessarily unanimity. All members contribute observations and ideas, so the resulting editorials represent the board’s view, not a particular writer.
How do partisanship and ideology factor in?
We’re not tied to one party or the other, and our positions on issues range across the ideological spectrum. We tend to prefer candidates who align with our previously stated positions, but qualifications, temperament and experience are important, too.