Arrington Becomes Latest Name for Vacant SD-28 Seat

In the last issue, we mentioned Jodey Arrington circulating his name as a candidate for the West Texas state Senate seat that has been vacated by Robert Duncan, who is now chancellor at Texas Tech University.

In the intervening week, Arrington moved to formalize his candidacy, circulating a press release and bio shedding more light on his background.

The key takeaway here is Arrington playing up his connections to George W. Bush. He notes that as a graduate student, he worked for Bush during his time in the Governor’s Mansion. Arrington traveled with Bush when he went to Washington, D.C., serving as a special assistant to the president with responsibilities in agriculture, water and energy policy areas.

Afterward, Arrington went to work for FDIC Chairman Don Powell as his chief of staff. Returning to Lubbock, Arrington then worked as a vice chancellor at Texas Tech before leaving to become president of Scott Laboratories, a company that commercializes medical technology and healthcare innovations.

Arrington is the latest in what might turn out to be a crowded field for the SD-28 seat. Lubbock state Rep. Charles Perry has already said he would run for the seat, as has Eppie Garza, a resident of Wolfforth, a Lubbock bedroom community. Other names being mentioned are Tech regent John Steinmetz and Lubbock City Councilman Todd Klein.

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Wayne Faircloth, the GOP candidate for Galveston’s open HD-23 seat, has won the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Randy Weber.

“As a former state representative, I know that Wayne has the right qualifications to be effective at the state capitol," Weber said in a statement. "I've called the Texas Gulf Coast my home for sixty years and, whether it's in Austin or Washington, we need elected leaders who will stand up and fight for our home. You can trust Wayne to do just that.”

The seat is now open after Craig Eiland announced he would not run for re-election. The incumbent had held the seat since 1995.

Faircloth faces former state District Judge Susan Criss in the November general election.