Lewis, West head into runoff

The heated four-way race for the District 81 seat in the State House of Representatives is headed for a runoff — incumbent Buddy West and challenger Tryon Lewis will face off April 8.

In a higher-than-normal voter turnout districtwide — Ector, Andrews and Winkler counties — West, the incumbent, took 4,601 votes, or 38.37 percent. Challenger Tryon Lewis 5,273 votes, or 43.98 percent, while Randy Rives took 1,188 votes, or 9.91 percent, and Jesse Gore 928 votes, or 7.74 percent.

“It’s a huge undertaking to run against an incumbent, especially in a four-candidate race,” Lewis said late Tuesday night. “We’re delighted to be in a runoff.”

West, likewise, said he’s pleased to be in a runoff.

“It’s really what I expected,” West said. “You hope for one thing and expect another. I expected there to be a runoff, and I’m just glad I’m one of the ones in the run-off.”

In order to have won the primary outright, a candidate must get 50 percent plus one vote. Otherwise, the top two vote-getters move into a runoff — in this case Lewis and West.

The runoff, which will be April 8, will effectively decide the race because there is no Democrat on the ballot in November. The winner will face Elmo Hockman, a Libertarian candidate, in November.

West said he plans to take a more forceful approach to campaigning for the runoff.

“We’ll have to be a little bit more aggressive on our issues,” he said. “We’ll have to show my voting record and the things I’ve accomplished.”

Lewis said he plans to keep hitting the pavement in his campaigning.

“Pretty much what we’ve been doing and more of it,” Lewis said. “We’ve got a chance to visit with more peo-ple and listen to more people.”

West’s public announcement of health issues on the House floor and his own questioning if he’d return to office opened the window for other candidates to enter the District 81 race. With the opportunity there, Lewis, an attorney and former district judge, entered the representa-tive race first last summer.

West announced his improved health and his candidacy for state representative in August.

Then, Rives, an Ector County Independent School District trustee, entered, shortly followed by fellow First Baptist Church member Gore.

Rives, who finished third in the race, said that while he was disappointed with the vote, it’s “not the end of the world.”

“I’m still president of Republican men, and I’m still on the (ECISD) board till May. We’ll keep doing what we’re doing there,” he said, adding that he does not plan to run again for school board.

“We had a lot of support from a lot of good people,” he said. “I don’t look back with any regrets. I’ve learned a lot, and I’ve had fun doing it.”

Gore, who finished fourth in the race, was also audibly disappointed in the results; however, he said there were good points.

“I feel like I was successful in getting out my message to a limited extent,” he said. “I had emphasis on what I felt needed emphasis — on our families. That’s where I still feel the need is.”

Meanwhile, Lewis said he would “be delighted” to gain an endorsement from Rives or Gore.

“It needs to be said that Randy Rives, Jesse Gore and certainly Buddy West all ran a very energetic, very strong campaign,” Lewis said.

In the meantime, Rives said he’s not certain whether or not he’ll endorse a candidate in the runoff.

“I don’t think in my position (I should),” he said. “I’ll vote, but I don’t think it’s right (to endorse). We haven’t decided on an endorsement — we’ve been so busy with what we’ve been doing.”

Gore said he would throw his endorsement behind West in the April 8 runoff.

“I will endorse Buddy,” he said. “I certainly will.”

FACT FILE

>> Seat: District 81 state representative.

>> Term: Two years.

>> Annual salary: $7,200.

>> Per diem allowance: $17,920.

>> Candidates: Incumbent George E. “Buddy” West, and challengers Tryon Lewis, Randy Rives and Jesse Gore.

>> Runoff: A runoff April 8 will take place between Buddy West and Tryon Lewis.

WHO ARE THEY?

TRYON D. LEWIS

>> Age: 60.

>> Occupation: Attorney since 1973. Served as 161st District Court Judge from 1985-2006. Presently a partner with Atkins, Peacock & Lewis.

>> Votes districtwide: 5,273 votes, or 43.98 percent.

GEORGE E. ‘BUDDY’ WEST

>> Age: 71.

>> Occupation: Worked for Amoco Production for 30 years as a corporate safety engineer.

>> Votes districtwide: 4,601 votes, or 38.37 percent.

W.R. ‘RANDY’ RIVES

>> Age: 57.

>> Occupation: Operations Team Leader for OXY Permian Oil Co.

>> Votes districtwide: 1,188 votes, or 9.91 percent.

JESSE W. GORE

>> Age: 46.

>> Occupation: Field Service Representative for Oncor Electric Delivery for 24 years. Also owns Jesse W. Gore Insurance & Investments.

>> Votes districtwide: 928 votes, or 7.74 percent.