Bexar GOP has plenty of choices to make in picking Pct. 3 candidate

Republicans and Democrats are charting two different paths in the race to replace Republican Trish DeBerry on the Bexar County Commissioners Court in November. While Democrats quietly selected their candidate in February, Republicans are still deciding how to choose their nominee, leaving prospective candidates in the dark about how and when it will happen. “It’s a fluid situation,” said Jeff McManus, the incoming chair of the Republican Party of Bexar County. “There are no rules stipulated by the state or county as to how this should be done.” DeBerry’s last-minute decision to run for Bexar County judge has already created plenty of confusion about the Precinct 3 seat on the Commissioners Court. Election officials first believed the parties would choose candidates in the March primary to run to fill the rest of DeBerry’s four-year term, causing one Republican hopeful, Patty Gibbons, to file her candidacy with the county. The Texas Secretary of State’s office later decided the parties’ precinct chairs in Precinct 3 would have to choose their nominees to run on the November ballot.

In the meantime, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, a Democrat, sought candidates from both parties to serve as an interim commissioner. He chose Republican Marialyn Barnard, who previously served on the 4th Court of Appeals. “I already have a foundation of knowing a lot of people in the Republican Party and a lot of the precinct chairs,” said Barnard, who recruited precinct chairs to fill vacancies in Precinct 3 ahead of the March primary. “I just reach out, let everybody know I’m wanting to be considered” for the party’s nomination. Barnard’s campaign said she has raised more than $70,000 for the potential November race. As the official presiding over the Republicans’ selection process, McManus is himself new to his job. He unseated John Austin in the May 24 primary runoff after campaigning on a plan to recruit “true Republicans” as candidates in Bexar County. He takes over the county party this month and now leads a five-person committee that he says will narrow down the field of interested candidates before precinct chairs vote. Other members of that committee include Lora Lane, Ellen Ott, Steven Jordan and Brenda Slatton.