"I think we've been flim-flammed by the religious right."

Both parties impressed by voter turnout

By Steve Nash -- Brownwood Bulletin
Photo by Steve Nash -- Bobby Grubbs holds his 2-year-old granddaughter, Abby Johnson, Tuesday night outside the Brownwood Coliseum Annex, where Republican candidates and supporters gathered to await election results.

The chairmen of the Brown County Republican and Democratic parties evaluated the wins and losses of their respective parties in an election that returned all local contested incumbents to office, and placed a Republican in the sheriff's office for the first time.

In Brown County, 14,388 of the county's 25,677 registered voters cast ballots for a turnout of 56 percent, according to unofficial results from the county clerk's office. Nearly 4,000 of them voted straight ticket -- 2,652 Republican (18.4 percent of the total votes cast), 1,276 Democrat (8.9 percent) and 71 Libertarian (.49 percent).
"I think the overall voter turnout is something the entire county can be proud of," Brad Locker said.
Charles Stavley agreed, but noted the results weren't everything he'd hoped for. "The turnout, I think, was fantastic. The outcome (for the Democrats) wasn't too fantastic," Stavley said. Noting Sen. John Kerry's loss in the presidential race to President Bush, Stavley said, "I think we've been flim-flammed by the religious right."
"We had two Republican candidates who did not campaign at all. I was surprised at the votes that each of them pulled," Locker said, referring to district judge candidate Sky Sudderth and Precinct 3 county commissioner candidate Tommy Davis.
"We're seeing that Brownwood and Brown County are conservative, and the Republican Party reflects their views here," Locker said.

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