New HD-83 Ballot: It's Burrows v. Tarbox

Democratic and Republican officials on the South Plains finalized replacement candidates late last week for the House seat being surrendered by state Rep. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock.

Republicans decided on Thursday on Lubbock attorney Dustin Burrows as its candidate for the race, which will be decided in the November general election. Democrats decided the next day on Lubbock attorney Max R. Tarbox.

The Tarbox name has resonance on the South Plains. Elmer Tarbox, Max Tarbox's father, served five terms in the Texas House, although he was perhaps better-known for his service in the Flying Tigers unit during World War II and his football career at Texas Tech.

Perry withdrew his name from the ballot in order to run in the special election to succeed Robert Duncan in Senate District 28. Six candidates are vying in that contest, in which early voting began on Monday. The election is set for Sept. 9.

In other SD-28 election news, Perry received the endorsement of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, the hometown paper of both Perry and Duncan. In making its decision, the paper concluded that "Filling Duncan’s shoes in the Senate seat will be a difficult task, but we think Perry is the best-qualified candidate to do it."