By Joel Langton
The 830 Times
In less than 15 minutes Friday afternoon, the Val Verde County Republican Executive Committee elected a new county chairperson, ensuring two of its candidates would have their ballot applications approved and they would remain on the March 2022 primaries ballot.
Laura Allen, a former county judge and a former party chair, was elected unanimously 3-0.
Allen replaces Frank Lopez Jr., who was the Val Verde County Republican Party Chairman until Dec. 9 when he filed a letter of intent to run as an Independent for the 23rd US Congressional seat held by Tony Gonzales, a Republican.
At that point, according to James Wesolek, communications director for the Republican Party of Texas, Lopez could no longer serve according to the state’s election code as the party chair because he had affiliated himself with another political party.
But Lopez continued to accept applications for persons to run as Republicans in the upcoming primaries following his filing of the letter of intent. Jimmy McDonald, who is seeking the Republican Party nomination for the position of Precinct 2 county commissioner, and Esther Chapoy, who is seeking the Republican Party nomination for the position of county clerk, were the only persons who submitted their applications to Lopez following his own filing with the state.
Allen’s first priority was to ensure the applications for Chapoy and McDonald were accepted by a valid party chair and correctly submitted to the state by Friday’s midnight deadline.
“Texas Republican Party officials told me I just had to sign above (Lopez Jr.’s) name and it would be fine,” she said.
Despite all the drama, Chapoy and McDonald indicated they were not concerned about their status as candidates.
“I wasn’t worried,” McDonald said. “I’m a candidate running for county commissioner of Precinct 2.”
“I feel great and God is good,” Chapoy said after the meeting. “I knew God’s plan was in it and whatever happened, it was God’s plan.”
Friday’s midday election was the second attempt for the Val Verde Republican Party to find a new party chair. The first attempt came at a committee meeting Thursday, but no one at that meeting was willing or able to accept the role.
Even Allen initially said she did not want the position. “Someone I really respect asked me to do this and I couldn’t say no,” Allen said, shortly after being elected.
Kelly Perry, a district director of Texas Federation of Republican Women and a member of the State Republican Executive Committee, was the person who called and asked her to take the position.
“I knew she’d be perfect for the job,” she said. “I can’t think of a better person in Val Verde to lead the party at this time.”
Editor’s Note: 830 Times Editor/Writer Brian Argabright contributed to this story.
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Contact the author at joelalangton@gmail.com
