District 81 candidate Tryon Lewis issued a news release late Wednesday disputing a new television ad by his opponent, incumbent Buddy West.

According to the release, West's ad "falsely claims that Lewis supports a dangerous and misguided policy that Buddy West himself voted for in 2001."

Efforts to reach West were not successful Wednesday afternoon. However, a call made to Buddy West's office was returned by spokesman Mark Sanders, who said West was in Kermit and could not return calls.

"First, it's not a new ad," Sanders said. "It's been running for two weeks. Secondly, it is in direct reference to an Eagle Forum questionnaire that Mr. Lewis filled out that said he thought it would be fine to do that. I don't know what he's complaining about.

"The ad does point out the citation for that assertion," Sanders said. "... It's a factually accurate ad."

According to the Texas Eagle Forum questionnaire, Lewis answered "undecided" on question No. 22: "The easily forgeable ‘matricula consular' card should not be accepted as official identification in Texas."

Meanwhile, Lewis said West voted for House Bill 396, authored by State Rep. Miguel Wise, D-Weslaco, which allowed illegal immigrants to use foreign identification to get a Texas driver's license. That was bill was vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry.

"The West Campaign cannot dispute the fact he voted to give in-state college tuition and driver's licenses to illegal immigrants," Lewis said in the release. "He is the only candidate in the race who has supported using the flawed matricula consular as a means to give driver's licenses to illegal aliens."

Endorsement

District 81 candidate Tryon Lewis announced Wednesday that he's received an endorsement from former House Republican Majority Leader Dick Armey.

"We need an energetic and dependable conservative Republican in HD 81 - someone who understands you spend your money more wisely than Austin will; someone who understands your family values and respects you for them," Armey said in a news release issued by Media Concepts. "I find that to be Tryon Lewis, and I encourage you to send him to Austin to represent you."

Lewis is challenging incumbent Buddy West in the runoff race for the Republican nomination for State House of Representative District 81. The winner will face Libertarian Elmo Hockman in November.