Local News: Busy Year in Brazos Valley Politics

Sphere: Related Content BV Political Field Packed Full in '10
By Matthew Watkins

From the Bryan-College Station Eagle

The year 2010 will be a busy one in Brazos County politics, initial candidate filings for county offices indicate.

There is more than a week left in the filing period, but the primary ballot is full with what appear to be potentially competitive races. Some contests have attracted as many as six candidates, and some long-term incumbents have drawn their first challengers in years.

State Rep. Fred Brown, a Bryan Republican, hadn't drawn a serious challenger to his seat in years until now. In 2010, he faces two challengers -- Buddy Winn and Rick Davis -- who have long histories in Brazos County and haven't lost a Republican primary in their decades of public service.

Blinn administrator Blanche Brick has also filed for Brown's seat.

State Sen. Steve Ogden had also never faced a primary opponent since he was first elected to the District 5 seat in 1997. This year he will face Ben Bius in the Republican primary. Bius filed for election after Ogden announced he wouldn't run in 2010 and stayed in the race when Ogden changed his mind a few months later.

U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards didn't field an opponent in 2008 until a few minutes before the filing deadline. This year, six Republicans have already filed for a chance to take on the Democrat in 2010.

Almost all of the incumbents in Brazos County are running for re-election in 2010, and the few open seats drew a slew of candidates.

Precinct 2 County Commissioner Duane Peters has not yet filed for re-election, boosting rumors that he is considering a run for county judge. Candidates are required to resign their current county position if they declare their intent to run for a new position more than a year before their term expires, meaning Peters would have to wait until after the new year to file for judge if he wants to hold on to his commissioner's seat until the election.

If he does run for judge, he would have three other opponents, including two Bryan mayors. Current Mayor Mark Conlee and former Mayor Ernie Wentrcek have both filed for the seat. Twenty-four-year-old College Station resident Brian Alg has also filed for the seat.

Current County Judge Randy Sims has said he won't run for re-election.

On the Democratic side, Bryan City Councilman Paul Madison has filed to run for Precinct 4 County Commiss-ioner. Irma Cauley, a Demo-crat who was appointed to the seat after her husband's death left it vacant, will try to hold on to the position.

Five Democrats are running for Precinct 4 justice of the peace. They are Darrell Booker, Rose Jones, Greg Banks, Manuel Aguilar and Martha Garcia Opersteny. Republican Jim Cashion has also filed for the seat.

Published on Thursday, December 24, 2009