Local candidates from area races appeared at the Amarillo Pioneer candidate forum Thursday at the First Family Church of Amarillo to give citizens a closer look at the candidates’ views on issues.
Candidates from Texas House Districts 86 and 87, the 108th court, and the Randall County Sheriff’s race were present. Candidates from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals were also featured.
Incumbent House Rep. John Smithee and his opponent Jamie Haynes for the 86th District gave their pitches for why they should represent the area. Haynes stated that the legislature did a disservice to its taxpayers by not paying down debt with this year’s surplus, while Smithee praised the legislature’s efforts to lower property taxes for its citizens.
Haynes doubled down on her attack on Texas House Republicans that she says are impeding legislation in the state for border protection and educational choice. She said that universities need to be moved to the right and to get rid of some tenured professors who she says are pushing “woke ideology.”