Bindseil defeats Berkman; Nelson, Wall, Luther win in runoff election
By Lew K. Cohn
The Highlander
Managing Editor
Primary runner up Debbie Bindseil upset Coach Larry Berkman to take the Republican runoff election for the Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace in tonight's final Burnet County election returns.
Bindseil, who received 769 votes in the March primary, gained 592 votes tonight's GOP runoff to just 438 for Berkman, who had received 831 in the March 1 primary. She will succeed Guilford Jones in the Precinct 4 JP position as there is no Democrat opponent in the November general election.
Meanwhile, Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 Roxanne Nelson successfully defended a challenge from Michael Horton, though the race was very close. Nelson, who also was the top votegetter on March 1, received 578 votes to 496 for Nelson. The primary had been a close race with Nelson only edging Horton by 17 votes, though she was able to secure a larger margin of victory tonight. With no November opponent, she essentially has been re-elected to her position.
Precinct 3 Commissioner will be Bertram native Billy Wall, who received almost twice as many votes as his opponent, K. Linvel Baker of Marble Falls. Wall received 578 votes tonight to 290 for Baker. In the March 1 primary, Wall had outgained Baker by 278 votes, 920-646. Wall succeeds outgoing Commissioner Ronny Hibler as there is no Democratic opponent in the November general election.
In the Precinct 1 Commissioner Race, it was Jim Luther Jr. who emerged victorious, defeating Sam Cox, 747 votes to 388. Luther had narrowly led Cox in the March 1 primary after earning 1,086 votes to 1,020 for Cox. With no general election opponent, Luther will succeed Precinct 1 Commissioner Bill Neve.
In statewide races, Dr. Dawn Buckingham has clinched the Republican nomination for the District 24 Senate seat and will now face Virginia “Jennie Lou” Leeder in the November general election. Buckingham won 26,413 votes in the district to defeat state Rep. Susan King, who received 16,645 votes. Buckingham won Burnet County as well with 2,066 votes to 1,101 for King. She also took Llano County with 1,104 votes to 603 for King.
Leeder was unopposed in the March Democratic primary. The winner between Buckingham and Leeder will suceed state Sen. Troy Fraser of Horseshoe Bay.
In other statewide races, Wayne Christian won the Republican nomination for Railroad Commissioner in Burnet County, taking 1,605 votes to 1,229 for Gary Gates. Christian also won Llano County with 958 votes to 646 for Gates. Christian eked out a win statewide by taking 50.87 percent of the votes cast, or 191,980, while Gates polled 185,346.
Christian now faces Democrat Grady Yarbrough, who won the nomination tonight with 99,409 votes to 85,159 for Cody Garnett. Yarbrough lost Burnet County, however, with Garnett receiving 78 votes to 62 for Yarbrough, and Llano County, as Garnett received 57 votes to 54 for Yarbrough.
Mary Lou Keel won the Republican nomination for Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Place 2 by defeating Ray Wheless, 184,721 votes to 177,644. Wheless slightly edged out Keel in Burnet County, taking 1,360 votes to 1,340 for Keel, but Keel won Llano County with 883 votes to 616 for Wheless. She will face Democrat Lawrence “Larry” Meyers in the general election.
Scott Walker is the Republican nominee for the Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Place 5 after he polled 206,677 votes to 150,103 for Brent Webster. Walker won Burnet County with 1,814 votes to 837 for Webster. He also won Llano County with 975 votes to 477 for Webster. Walker now faces Democrat Betsy Johnson in November.
Llano County local races
Precinct 3 Commissioner Ron Wilson of Kingsland was defeated in his re-election bid tonight, losing a challenge by Mike Sandoval, who received 201 votes to just 185 for Wilson.
Incumbent Sheriff Bill Blackburn made it official tonight after he defeated James Schilling, who had dropped out of the runoff but remained on the ballot. Blackburn received 1,305 votes to 468 for Schilling.
