By Ronnie Lewis
For over a year, I’ve been reaching out to voters about my concerns regarding Tisha Crow and her appointed precinct chairs. And I thank you for reading my letters.
I have informed voters about precinct chairs. Most were quite disturbed to find out that only one precinct chair, Richard Pierce, had been elected by the voters. And all were even more concerned that the precinct chairs were not reaching out to the voters. Which is their number one duty.
But I think the biggest eye opener was when voters realized these precinct chairs were fighting desperately to keep you from voting. They were fighting desperately to keep Donna Kelm off the ballot. Much like the Democrats were trying to keep Donald Trump off the ballot. Shocking this could happen right here in Ector County. But now these same precinct chairs are asking for your vote. Sending out expensive texts begging for your vote, mailing letters begging for your vote. The only current precinct chair on the ballot that thought your vote, your voice mattered was Richard Pierce. The rest of Tisha’s current precinct chairs did not want you to vote! Still hard to fathom that someone that had never received one vote, was willing to take away your right to vote.
When concerned citizens, some I had never met before, realized they could no longer trust the Ector County Republican Party, they jumped in to help save Ector County. Some candidates had never been political but eyes were opened and they felt a strong need to get involved. Brave souls. They are being called “heroes”. They had already witnessed the attacks I was receiving but entered the race anyway. And as expected, they too are being bullied and harassed. The one sided hit pieces on Odessa’s Accountability Facebook page along with the many ECRP fake bully accounts have been in high gear. Some candidates are being targeted because of their voting record, but how else do you grow the party and increase voter turnout?
As soon as Tisha Crow realized she had an opponent, she sent out a bizarre note implying these brave people and their supporters were “trans”. Calling the candidates liars, liberals and much, much worse. Her husband even jumped in on the childish name calling along with their many fake profiles. Why not just run on your record, Tisha? You have been in office 14 years. Surely, you have accomplished something that is more worthy than just resorting to mudslinging. Tisha recently sent out a text claiming her opponent “leaned on Democrats”. Totally false.
Then came the false “high voter turnout” numbers. Ector County is known for a lot of things, but high voter turnout is not one of them.
And let’s not forget the secret spy training Tisha and her precinct chairs participated in. Learning how to use burner computers and make enemy hit lists. They claim the training was to prepare for Hamas attacks. If so why were Kirk Edwards, Brooks Landgraf, Republican women, and myself on the hit list?
In 2009, when Tisha was first appointed to County Chair, she made a few mistakes, some crucial. But she soon learned her way. And I spent a lot of time at the Republican Headquarters. My daughter loved going up there. I attended many Lincoln Day Dinners supporting the ECRP. But sometime around 2018, I noticed a shift. The Party became divided over a JP race. Tisha feverishly supported Matthew Stringer. And many of the ECRP supported Missi Walden. I campaigned hard for Missi and she won in a landslide. After that, people began noticing a huge change in the Party. You were either with them or not. And the animosity increased in 2020 over the City Council races and then exploded in 2022 when Tisha and some of her appointed precinct chairs brutally attacked and harassed Brooks Landgraf.
After the 2022 election, the ECRP lost a vast majority of their supporters. So much so, that there’s hasn’t been a Lincoln Day Dinner since. The Lincoln Day Dinner is the yearly Republican Party fundraiser, but the dismal turnout in 2022 put an end to a great tradition. At least for now…let’s bring back the Lincoln Day Dinner.
I guess what this comes down to is there is a reason 90% of Republicans support term limits. Tisha Crow has simply been in office too long. She probably should have stepped down years ago. But 14 years is definitely too long to hold a local office. “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.
I’ve laid out the facts. I rest my case. This is now in the hands of the voters.
Early Voting starts Tuesday. The weather is going to be beautiful! Get out and vote! Election Day March 5th. Vote Donna Kelm. And continue to follow Ector County Politics on Facebook.
Ronnie Lewis is a longtime Odessa businessman who founded and built Dos Amigos.
