One thing I’ve noticed from watching my parents campaign for candidates during the past four election cycles is the absence of candidates who lost their primary elections. Most, if not all, of these candidates who were not incumbents, and lost to their opponents, have disappeared from the public scene altogether.

The candidates I’m writing about attended local fund raisers, candidate forums, civic groups, parades, Commissioner’s Court, meetings of the Fannin County Republican Women and other venues where they could meet and greet potential voters.

These candidates typically drove vehicles wrapped with eye-catching slogans announcing their values and the public office they were seeking. During the months preceding the primary election, these candidates declared that they want to SERVE THE CITIZENS OF FANNIN COUNTY. If these candidates really wanted to serve the citizens of Fannin County, why are they not continuing to show-up and serve the county as ordinary citizens? Why were they not serving the county in some fashion before they ran for elected office?

My “two cents” is that they never really cared about serving the citizens of Fannin County in the first place; they merely wanted to get a relatively well-paying job close to home. The candidates I’m describing are not public servants…they appear to be politician “wannabes,” whose aim was to push a personal agenda or an agenda of someone else. 

There is one notable example of a candidate who won his race for commissioner and who did not serve Fannin County in any capacity before the primary and doesn’t even attend Commissioner’s Court, now that he’s been elected. Does this candidate represent a public servant? He doesn’t meet my definition of a public servant…does he meet yours? 

True public servants will be serving the county BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER their run for office.  Check to see what your favorite candidate has been doing for the county prior to election season; it will be a good indication of what they will do afterwards.