GCRP draws prolific pool of primary candidates

Over the last 25 years, Grimes County has made a dramatic shift to the right, politically speaking, and nowhere was this more evident than at the Dec. 21 Republican Party Primary ballot draw ceremony. It was standing-room-only at the party’s new headquarters, 175 S. Main St. in downtown Anderson, for the 14 candidates in attendance.

While historical data was not available at press time, 2024 may present the largest pool of Republican primary choices in this century for county offices as well as the number of faces new to the political arena.

In both the Grimes County Sheriff and Pct. 3 Constable races, both incumbents face two challengers. In another race, two Millennials with deep familial ties to Grimes County hope to win the seat currently occupied by Grimes County Attorney Jon C. Fultz, who announced his impending retirement shortly after his last reelection.

Republicans in voting Pct. 4 in the Plantersville area will also have another not-so-ordinary addition to their ballot, the contested precinct chair race between incumbent Karen Hale and challenger Sherry Fauth.

Grimes County Republican Party chair Susan Partrick conducted the often-entertaining ballot draw process using ping pong balls to determine position on the March 5 Primary ballot. For those candidates not able to attend in person, such as former president Donald Trump and the six other Republican presidential candidates, court justices and other state positions, there were ample volunteers to draw in their place.

Several unopposed county candidates did not attend while other candidates were unavailable due to work commitments.