Llano County primary candidates tout experience at Kingsland forum
Marie Primm, one of two candidates for district attorney in the 33rd and 424th Judicial District, answers a question during the Highland Lakes Republican Women’s candidates forum in Kingsland while her opponent, Perry Thomas, waits his turn. Staff photo by Suzanne Freeman
Three Republican candidates for Llano County Precinct 3 commissioner, two for 33rd and 424th district attorney, and two for Llano County sheriff squared off in a candidates forum in Kingsland on Tuesday, Jan. 9. All three open seats have no Democratic opponents in the March 5 primary elections, so the GOP winners will take over on Jan. 1, 2025.
The luncheon event was the second in a string of candidate forums being held in Burnet and Llano counties. This one was sponsored by the Highland Lakes Republican Women.
Here are the highlights:
LLANO COUNTY COMMISSIONER
The three people running to fill the Llano County Commissioners Court seat being vacated by Precinct 3 Commissioner Mike Sandoval agreed on many of the topics raised by questions from the forum’s hosts and the audience but have varied backgrounds and connections to Kingsland, which is in the precinct.
Karen Shaw, the only woman in the race, is a retired educator with 40 years’ experience working for the Houston Independent School District. She has lived in Kingsland for the past 10 years and is an avid volunteer now that she is retired.
“I’m new to politics, but I’m not new to Kingsland,” she said during her introduction. “I listen to the people in Kingsland. I’ve heard from a lot of different groups and what they are concerned about, and as county commissioner, I would do my best to see what can be done about these issues.”
Bull Guthrie touted his 30 years in law enforcement and 35 years in politics, mostly in Harris County. He moved to the Kingsland area about seven months ago.
“I began my political campaigning in high school, and it just grabbed a hold of me,” he said. “I think our Commissioners Court has done a great job with what they have. We want to keep our taxes low and, at the same time, fund the things we want.”
Brent Richards has 29 years of experience in civil and traffic engineering while working for three different cities and counties as well as in the private sector. He and his wife retired to Llano in 2009. Six months later, they moved into a custom-built home in Buchanan Dam. They have been in Kingsland since September 2021.
“I was on a value engineering project for a freeway out in California,” he said. “We were able to reduce the cost by $10 million just by moving some dirt around.”
When asked about the most pressing capital and infrastructure needs facing Precinct 3, Richards pointed to a lack of storm drains and too many potholes.
Answering a question about his strengths, he reinforced his background in civil and traffic engineering.
“Everything that these commissioners do, I have either been associated with or designed or plan checked,” he said. “I know what’s involved with them, and I can certainly do this job. If you put me there, I will get results.”
For Shaw, the precinct’s most pressing needs are connected to the exploding growth of developments and RV parks in the area. She said Llano County has to find a way to effectively provide infrastructure for that growth.
As a strength, she brought up everything she learned while working for four decades in the Houston school district.
“I’ve worked in every section of that town with just about every opposition you can find,” she said. “I’ve learned diplomacy, I’ve learned budget, I’ve learned how to deal with a vast number of different people.”
Cartels, drugs, and crime in Kingsland are the main concerns for Guthrie. He called for more law enforcement and a Commissioners Court that will “have the sheriff’s back.”
When asked about his greatest strengths, he referred to his life memberships in the NRA, Texas State Rifle Association, and The 100 Club, among other professional organizations.
“I have a ton of medals and accommodations in law enforcement — more than the average bear,” he said. “And the work I’ve done against the cartels is substantial.”
An audience member asked about each candidate’s thoughts on the possibility of Kingsland incorporating.
“I’m for political freedom,” Guthrie said. “If the people want to do it, then fine. It’s up to the citizens.”
Both Shaw and Richards expressed doubt that it would happen anytime soon.
“There are a lot of new people coming who are used to having big city services,” Shaw said. “We have to be aware of that.”
“If it’s incorporated, Llano County will turn its back on us,” Richards warned. “If it does incorporate, our taxes will definitely go up.”
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Marie Primm and Perry Thomas are vying to replace District Attorney Wiley “Sonny” McAfee, who is retiring at the end of 2024.
Primm lives in Sunrise Beach Village and works for the Texas Attorney General’s Office on the capital murder team. She said she has wanted to be a prosecutor since she heard a DA speak at her sixth-grade career day.
“My attention was caught by his passion for his job,” she said. “He got to help people when bad things happened to them. The job was easy: He always got to do the right thing. At that moment, I decided to be a prosecutor.”
Thomas’ résumè includes a stint as first assistant district attorney in Llano County. He is now a criminal defense attorney in Burnet, Blanco, and Llano counties.
“My wife, Shannon, and I raised our boys here,” he said. “We are experiencing growth and, with that, an increase in crime. I’m prepared to meet from day one this crime problem that is coming up.”
When asked about their proudest achievement as a prosecutor, Thomas said it is whenever he can help a victim get justice, while Primm mentioned a specific 20-year-old serial rape case she was able to prosecute, bringing peace to one of the first victims.
A particularly tough question brought out the philosophical in both candidates. They were asked how they would handle a situation in which they knew a person was innocent, but the evidence pointed to guilt.
“My job is to do the right thing,” Primm said. “My job is to work hard, and if it means I have to dismiss a case, even when I have the evidence, then so be it. At the end of the day, the right thing needs to happen, and sometimes that means dismissing a case.”
Thomas called the scenario a prosecutor’s greatest fear.
“That’s when you earn your pay,” he said. “You go through the evidence, go through the law, and make some hard decisions. You have to do the right thing, and part of the right thing is to be sure you follow the law. I will review the case and make some hard decisions.”
Another tough question was how they would balance the need for public safety with the rights of the accused.
“It is not the duty of a prosecuting attorney to convict but to see that justice is done,” Thomas said. “So you aggressively go after the criminal, but you must — you must — follow the law and the constitutional rights of anyone accused.”
Fairness is important to Primm.
“If prosecuting an individual, you give every piece of evidence you have. You turn it over to the defense so that they can have a fair defense and we can have a level playing field,” she said. “My belief is that you turn over everything you have, because if you do the right thing, and you’re working hard, then the right thing is going to happen and the guilty go to jail.”
LLANO COUNTY SHERIFF
Marquis Cantu and Les Hartman want to be the first new Llano County sheriff in 16 years. Bill Blackburn announced his retirement in 2023, leaving the seat open.
Cantu recently resigned as Precinct 1 justice of the peace so he could run for sheriff. He was with the Texas Department of Public Safety for 25 years, including as a highway patrolman, a canine handler, and a narcotics officer. The last 12 years, he was a Texas Ranger. Eight of those years, he served in the Llano County area. He was part of the law enforcement team at a mass shooting at Fort Hood and the 2017 shooting at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs.
“I have the experience to lead those types of investigations because I have done them,” he said. “I can lead the resources of the Llano County Sheriff’s Office into the future.”
Hartman is a lifelong resident of Llano County. He runs a ranch that has been in his family for the past 140 years. Currently, he works as a patrol sergeant for the city of Llano.
“I want to address the Sheriff’s Office and the service to you, the citizens of Llano County, by reinforcing a culture built on trust, respect, integrity, transparency,” he said. “There are areas of our county that are very diverse from each other. We need to work better with community involvement and get with the leaders of those communities to find out where their concerns are, and we have to address them.”
Hartman acknowledged that his experience was not as vast as his opponent’s, but he knows and understands the community well.
“I remind you that one of our longest-term sheriffs here, Gale Ligon, served 28 years without one ounce of experience before being elected to office,” he said. “He saw a problem, he knew he wanted to address it, and he did that by knowing the community and knowing where the problems lie.”
The candidates were asked about their goals if elected to the office.
“The most important goal as sheriff is to keep the public safe,” Cantu said. “I still train officers. I will bring instructors from Delta Force, the DEA, the Texas Rangers, and make sure our officers get the training they need.”
Hartman said he would put the best people in the best places and make sure they were properly trained to do their jobs.
“The people you are serving out there need to be served well,” he said. “If you increase the trust among your staff, that trust follows out to the others. Things have happened the last few years because of a lack of training, and that has led to court cases and that has affected you, the taxpayers.”
UPCOMING FORUMS IN LLANO COUNTY
1-3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13
Castell General Store, 19522 RR 152 West in Castell
Llano County Republican candidates forum moderated by Burnet County Sheriff Calvin Boyd.
6-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18
First Baptist Church, 606 RR 2233 in Sunrise Beach Village
Moderated by Luke Macias. Will include candidates for Precinct 1 justice of the peace.
6-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1
American Legion Hall, 200 Legion Drive in Llano
Hosted by the Llano Tea Party. Will include candidates for state representative for District 53 Wes Virdell and Hatch Cummings Smith for the seat left open by Rep. Andrew Murr, who is retiring. No professional moderator. Questions from Llano County residents must be submitted prior to the start of the meeting.
6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8
Binnie Boys Burgers, 1704 RR 3014 in Tow
Questions from the audience.
UPCOMING FORUMS IN BURNET COUNTY
11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 8
Reed Building, 402 E. Jackson St. in Burnet
Hosted by the Burnet County Republic Women. Three candidates for tax assessor-collector will answer questions: Susan Allen, Adrienne Feild, and Deanne Fisher. Attendees must RSVP because seating is limited. A catered lunch is $20.
6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8
Burnet Community Center, 401 E. Jackson St. in Burnet
Hosted by the Burnet County Republican Women and the Burnet Chamber of Commerce. Mingle with the candidates at 5 p.m. Forum begins at 6 p.m. Debate format for candidates in the district attorney’s race and below. Candidates running for positions above DA will have three minutes to speak.