Candidates for state and local office gathered in San Angelo Monday at Tom Green County’s Stephens Central Library, fielding questions from a panel of all ages during the first candidate forum sponsored by NAACP Unit 6219 and the Minority Alliance Network Organization hosted by Conexión San Angelo.
To help voters decide, especially in the Republican primary which serves as the de-facto general election for local office, panel moderators asked the prospective candidates a handful of questions to help them distinguish themselves.
Former prosecutor Leland Lacy, and local attorneys Jana Johnson and Jessica Skinner are vying for the Republican nomination for County Court at Law judge in November’s midterm election.
Chad Decker and Todd Smith will do the same for County Commissioner for Tom Green County Precinct 2, and Lauren Barron (pronounced Ba-rohn), who currently works in the County Clerk’s office is seeking to replace incumbent Christina Ubando.
Justice of the Peace Susan Werner will face Democratic opposition in November from Walter Bryant, who was not present.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW
Questions stuck to how each candidate defined their role as County Court At Law Judge – each candidate emphasized that the role should be totally apolitical, and that a good amount of empathy would be needed to fulfill the jobs requirements.
Leland Lacy’s answer stood out when questioned about how many cases he’s handled, stating that the number was well over 2,500 in the last decade.
Lacy said that he did not originally plan to become a prosecutor but was inspired to follow the path after an internship with the DA’s office.
In her closing statements, attorney Jana Johnson emphasized her personal experience with a few of the responsibilities held by the court, and shared memories of what it was like to be a child caught up in a family separation, and as a teenager following an accident caused by a drunk driver.
Johnson said that she would carry these experiences on the other side of the bench into her role as Judge.
Attorney Jessica Skinner stood out with well-articulated answers, including one that focused on self-representation in court, suggesting that in the future the county might want to consider implementing conflict resolution centers for cases regarding the indigent, where the offender might not be able to afford representation during a legal mediation, but the matter might still be handled out of court.
COUNTY COMMISSIONER PCT. 2
The role of county commissioner often boils down to responding to constituent complaints, which both Chad Decker and Todd Smith pledged to emphasize with clear and open communication for their offices. Neither offered any specifics regarding potential county projects.
Decker, a home builder, and Smith, an IT consultant, both say they’ll bring the practical knowledge of their respective fields to the role. The candidates’ answers did not vary much from each other – as prospective freshmen commissioners, they both said they would prioritize listening to experts instead of going off half-cocked.
COUNTY CLERK
County Clerk Christian Ubando took some time essentially explaining her role in local government, which includes all recording duties for the Commissioner Court in addition to other special responsibilities and requirements.
Challenger Lauren Barron turned some heads at the end of the forum during her closing remarks, when she stated that she has “run the office for the last five years,” which incumbent Christina Ubando did not respond to.
While this remark may raise eyebrows, it’s considered normal, and legally authorized, for a deputy county clerk to supervise the day-to-day operations of a county clerk’s office in Texas.
Under state law, a deputy county clerk acts in the name of the elected county clerk and is empowered to perform all official acts that the county clerk may perform.
According to the Texas Local Government Code § 82.005, a deputy clerk is appointed by the county clerk, takes an oath of office, and acts in the name of the county clerk to perform official duties.
While the deputy may handle many daily management decisions, the elected official retains the ultimate authority over the office, including hiring, firing, and budget decisions.
STATEWIDE OFFICES
Though neither of their Republican opponents appeared at the panel, both Riley Rodriquez and Pedro Ruiz made sure to put their names forefront in voters’ minds.
Both candidates emphasized their working-class backgrounds. Though it was not the focus point for either candidate, the promise of a Hispanic representative for this part of Texas, a sight seldom seen, made an impression on the crowd.
More on Pedro Ruiz and Claire Reynolds.
To watch the candidates full answers, visit the Connexion San Angelo live stream here.
