Ekstrom/Photo by Campaign
By Publisher Tom Warren II
On March 3rd, Republican voters in the 13th District have a tough choice to make. 15 Republicans are vying to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon). While there are a number of good, qualified candidates, there is only one real option for voters looking to defeat Amarillo Matters, rebuke the establishment, and give the grassroots a West Texas voice in Washington. And our publisher's committee believes that candidate is businessman Chris Ekstrom.
In order to make this endorsement, our publisher's committee considered a combination of the candidates' backgrounds, responses from candidates to our Voter Guide, responses at the Amarillo Pioneer forum, and public campaign activities by the candidates. From these, we found a few candidates who were definitely worthy of voters’ consideration. Vance Snider is a young conservative voice who we could see being mayor, state representative or United States representative in the not so distant future. Jason Foglesong is a bright young conservative who brings a lot to the table. Ronny Jackson provides a unique voice in this race in a package of leadership and experience.
At the end of the day, however, our endorsement came down to a few key factors.
First, Amarillo Matters’ recent decision to wade into this election was a troubling development. This group has given Amarillo a disastrous local government dynamic thanks to its small group of donors and its hunger for power. Its endorsement of Josh Winegarner and his record as a lobbyist disqualified him from our consideration. Winegarner's softness on some issues and his campaign’s failure to submit responses to the Pioneer's Voter Guide also factored into that decision.
Second, only one candidate has had the budget to compete with the establishment to this point: Chris Ekstrom. Ekstrom's commitment to this race is promising as voters look for a new, principled voice in Washington.
Finally, Ekstrom's background as a businessman is incredibly important in this race. At a time when most of the leading candidates come either from a government background or have worked as a lobbyist at a time when so many Americans feel Washington and Austin are so broken, Ekstrom's business background jumps off the page. Local voters can be sure that if Chris Ekstrom is elected, he won't be learning issues dealing with taxes, budgets, spending, and regulation on the job. Ekstrom will be a friend of small businesses across the 13th District and will help stimulate economic growth with his business-minded approach.
Addressing Winegarner’s recent attack on Ekstrom is also important for this endorsement. Some have said Mr. Ekstrom is not from the district and cannot represent this district's issues. However, Mr. Ekstrom, who is a resident of Wichita Falls and whose driver's license and concealed handgun license show a Wichita Falls address, has been willing to talk to anyone in the district, anywhere, anytime. This attack about residency is, like most things involving candidates propped up by Amarillo's establishment, misleading. Voters should completely disregard this attack from the establishment and Amarillo Matters-aligned candidates who are simply looking to divide our electorate and win the election relying on unfounded innuendo.
We believe Chris Ekstrom will be a strong and principled voice in Washington who will have this district's back in every vote he takes.
Therefore, the Amarillo Pioneer's publisher's committee endorses Chris Ekstrom as the best choice for U.S. Congress, District 13 in the March 3 Republican primary.
Please note: A publisher’s committee endorsement does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Amarillo Pioneer’s advertisers or staff. An endorsement of one candidate in a primary does not represent a criticism of other candidates running unless otherwise stated. Endorsements may be offered in additional primary races.