Twenty-three candidates have filed to run for county offices in Kent and Dickens counties in the March 1 primary.
The Texas Spur reached out to all of them with a questionnaire to help you, our readers, learn the backgrounds and the viewpoints of these candidates.
Most of the candidates responded to the questionnaires. Some did not.
If a candidate does not appear in this coverage, it is because they did not respond to the questionnaire. Some were not able to provide a photo.
This week’s edition focuses on Dickens County candidates in contested races, as well as unopposed candidates who are new to their offices.
BRANDI ABBOTT
Party: Republican
City of Residence: Spur
Elected office sought: Dickens County Treasurer
Bio background: I was raised in Guthrie, Texas. I was active in all sports growing up, including cross country, basketball and track. I also raised and showed pigs in FFA and 4-H. I consider it a great opportunity to have grown up in and live in a small town.
Education: I graduated from Guthrie High School as salutatorian of my class. I then went on to cosmetology school at International Business College.
Occupation: I am a Spur resident of 14 years and currently serve as office manager of the Dickens County AgriLife Extension Office. Prior to my county employment, I was a paraprofessional at Spur ISD for 4½ years. I have also been the secretary of the First United Methodist Church for more than 10 years. I also owned and operated my own hair salon before moving to Spur.
Family: I am committed to serving our county and its communities along with my husband, Wess, and our 2 boys, Preston and Porter. Wess and I have been married for 19 years and love raising our boys here. Wess has been the emergency management coordinator for Dickens County for the past 10 years. He has also been on the Spur Volunteer Fire Department for 14 years and is the current fire chief for the department.
Interests: I am a mother to two active boys. My interests are watching and loving them through all of their activities. We enjoy camping and fishing together as a family.
Key campaign messages:
• I am a very task-oriented person and like to get things done in a timely fashion.
• I will always strive to keep Dickens County’s best interests at heart and diligently serve the taxpayers.
• Customer service in my office will be a top priority.
ARLENE ABERNATHY
Party: Republican
City of Residence: Spur
Elected office sought: Dickens County Justice of the Peace
Hometown: Vidor, Texas (in Southeast Texas)
Eduation: High school diploma and GED multiple certifications
Occupation: Almost seven years as a state licensed telecommunicator and a state licensed county jailer at the Dickens County Sheriff's Office. I am also the agency’s Terminal Agency coordinator, and as such, I have completed several federal security audits, and state technical audits, and our agency was found to be in compliance.
Family: My husband and I have been married over 23 years. He is an Army veteran, and currently is an EMT and works for a medical transport company. We have three children: two daughters, Morgan and Brennah, and a son, Hunter.
Interests: My family and friends are always my first priority. I enjoy spending time with them, and always lend a hand where and when I can. Serving in my church has also been important to me, for many years and in several capacities including as youth group leader and worship leader. I’ve taught Sunday School, Children’s Church, and Adult Ministries. I’ve served on the church board, and also as the secretary and treasurer for multiple ministries. In my spare time, I enjoy reading.
Key campaign messages:
• “Be Kind. Always.” has been my life motto, and if elected, I will carry that over to my office.
• I value fairness, honesty, and integrity and believe they are essential to being successful in life.
• I can’t comment on all the qualifications and experiences of my opponents, I can only present myself as best I can and say that I believe I am a worthy candidate; I have faithfully served my community for almost seven years, often working with the current JP Nancy Stone and I know that I am more than capable of fulfilling the duties of the office if elected.
What areas of public policy or community issues matter most to you? Everyone should have access to equal opportunities in education and work, and wages need to be brought up to pace with the cost of living. Our senior citizens need to be better provided for, financially and medically. Our education system needs to be more geared towards teaching practical life skills and preparing our children to function as an adult in our society.
JERRY ALEXANDER
Party: Republican
City of Residence: Spur
Elected office sought: Dickens County Commissioner, Precinct 4 (Incumbent)
Bio background: I grew up in Spur, starting in the Spur schools with kindergarten and graduating in 1982. I majored in ag economics at Texas A&M
Occupation: I have farmed and ranched in Dickens and Kent Counties. I am an electrical contractor in Dickens and surrounding counties.
Family and interests: My wife, Linda, is the director of the Spur Senior Citizens Center. We enjoy hunting, fishing, and traveling with our puppy, Sam. We have two grown daughters, Courtney and Brandi, and five grandchildren.
Key campaign messages:
• My main concern for the county is continuing economic growth by encouraging outside investors to put money into our county, thereby taking some of the tax burden off of the local citizens.
• The past two years have been a whirlwind caused by the pandemic, but I feel we handled the challenges we faced extremely well.
• I feel the Precinct 4 county roads have remained in the same great shape they were left in by my predecessor. If anyone has a concern, I have answered the call and corrected the problem and I will continue to do so.
DANAY CARNES
Party: Republican
City of Residence: Spur
Elected office sought: County and District Clerk, Dickens County
Bio background: I was born and raised in Lubbock until my family moved to Spur in 2007. This was a very important year for me, considering it was my senior year and the best of my high school experiences! I now call Spur my hometown.
Eduation: Spur ISD, Graduating class of 2008
Occupation: Appointed Dickens County/ District Clerk as of January 10, 2022
Family and interests: My husband, Cody Carnes, and I have been married for 10 years and are expecting our first bundle of joy in June. We both enjoy volunteering within our community and want to see Dickens County continue to grow.
Key campaign messages:
• Serving as the Deputy County /District Clerk since July 2019, I have learned so much from Becky Hill and the other elected officials about the duties and responsibilities of the office. One thing I have learned is the laws are forever changing and I plan to participate in continuing education opportunities where I may stay current and abreast of new changes and responsibilities of the county/district clerk’s office.
• It’s important as an elected official to continually work together to make sure our county runs as efficiently as possible for the citizens of Dickens County.
• A large part of this position is ensuring that elections are conducted correctly and as efficiently as possible. Dickens county has recently switched back to a paper-based voting system due to laws changing. I personally think this is the most secure way of recording votes and to ensure voting fraud doesn’t happen in our county.
MATT MCARTHUR
Party: Republican
City of Residence: Spur
Elected office sought: Dickens County Justice of the Peace
Bio background: I live in McAdoo.
Eduation: Police Academy at Wharton County Junior College, Criminal Justice AAS Coastal Bend College, undergraduate Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State. Additional courses in business at Penn State World Campus.
Occupation: Security supervisor. I’m also a former police officer and civil process server.
Family: I’m the son of Ike and Anna McArthur.
Interests: I’m an avid hunter and fisherman.
Key campaign messages:
• As a former police officer I’ve worked traffic and traffic accidents, inquests and homicides and been involved with several areas of civil lawsuits, all things the JP’s office works with. I’m the only candidate with that experience.
• I have private sector management experience and know how to work within a budget which would limit the impact on the taxpayers.
• I’m a constitutional conservative. I’ll rule based on the law and won’t rule based on personal feelings, I won’t legislate from the bench.
What areas of public policy or community issues matter most to you? I’m a strong supporter of local law enforcement. In recent years we’ve seen a large movement to cancel or defund the police and I want to make sure that doesn’t happen here. I also want to see an environment where new businesses can come to Dickens County and improve our daily life.
MIKE SMITH
Party: Republican
City of Residence: Dickens
Elected office sought: Dickens County Commissioner, Precinct 2
Bio background and eduation: I was raised in Plainview, moved to Dickens County in 1973. Attended Texas Tech and Wayland Baptist Universities, where I pursued a bachelor's degree in pre-veterinarian medicine.
Occupation: I have been a county commissioner for the past seven years and ranch in the Afton area. I also served a justice of the peace for four years.
Family: I have two children. My son, Derek, and wife Kelsey have three children. My daughter, Rhonda, and husband Chad have five children.
Interests: My interests have been in community service. I have served for over 100 years of combined service, sitting on numerous boards including Dickens Electric Coop, Patton Springs ISD, Duck Creek Soil Conservation Service, Rolling Plains Home Health Agency, Dickens County Farm Bureau and recently County Information Resources Agency in Austin.
Through these various boards and agencies, I have gained much experience with budget efficiency, management, and sensitivity to the needs of our aging population as well as the ever-changing needs of our youth. I am very aware of the essential needs for coordinated effort of all units of local government and the efficient delivery of services.
Local governments must be coordinated with all levels of government if we are to receive all the funding and services available from higher levels of government without costs to local taxpayers.
Key campaign messages:
• We must assist our essential services with the funding they need to maintain our EMS, Fire, and police. We need to be very conservative with our expenditures and not waste taxpayers’ money.
• I am very progressive in seeking funding for the EMS to purchase new ambulances to assist the dedicated, overworked personnel that serve our county.
• Commissioners court is working together with Argo Blockchain and Broad Reach Power (a 200MW energy storage facility) and several other investors to bring money, jobs and a significant increase to our tax base, thus decreasing our taxes. These companies will be a huge asset to Dickens County. I have always tried to be a very conservative commissioner, and as a taxpayer I understand the tax burden we all share.
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