FROM LEFT: Jamie Haynes and Holly Jeffreys/Photos by Campaigns
By Amarillo Pioneer Editorial Board
In the race for Texas House District 86, two Republicans are competing to replace retiring State Rep. John Smithee. Jamie Haynes, a Canyon-area business owner, and Holly Jeffreys, a medical professional, educator, and former Bushland school board member, have both put their names on the ballot to be the first new representative for the Panhandle district in more than 40 years.
Smithee, the longest-serving Republican in the Texas House and a one-time frontrunner to be the next speaker of the Texas House, was honored as our Pioneer of the Year for 2026. We recognized him for his incredible contributions to the Panhandle during the most recent legislative session and his unmatched record of service.
In this election, Smithee has endorsed Jeffreys to be his successor in Austin. We agree with the statesman that Jeffreys is the right person to carry the District 86 torch forward for the next two years.
Jeffreys has already served the Panhandle in a variety of ways, including as the dean of the nursing school at West Texas A&M University, as the president of the Bushland ISD school board, as chair of the Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation board, and as a member of several state committees. She has been endorsed by many of those with whom she has worked in her career, in addition to several other community leaders from across the Texas Panhandle.
On policy, we agree with Jeffreys that property tax reform should be a priority of the next Texas Legislature. We applaud Jeffreys for her support for reducing burdensome taxes on Texas homeowners and business owners and trust that she will make this one of her top priorities when elected.
Smithee is going to be a tough act to follow. However, we believe Jeffreys is up to the task, and we encourage our readers to trust her with your votes on March 3rd.
We recommend Holly Jeffreys for Texas House of Representatives, District 86.
Early voting runs from February 17 through February 27. Election Day is Tuesday, March 3.
Please note: An editorial board recommendation does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Amarillo Pioneer’s advertisers or staff. A recommendation of one candidate does not represent a criticism of other candidates running unless otherwise stated. Recommendations may be offered in additional races.