Published: March 05, 2008 04:21 pm            

Runoff in Sheriff Race

Former Texas Ranger Ray Nutt and Henderson County Sheriff’s Department Asst. Chief Deputy Tony Allison will be matched in a runoff on April 8 in the race for Henderson County sheriff.

The winner will face Democrat Bill Casey, who was unopposed in Tuesday night’s primary election, in November.

Nutt - who, if elected, would be the third straight former Ranger to head the sheriff¹s department - led in the voting with 46.99 percent of the vote.

The runoff became necessary after none of the candidates gained at least 50 percent of the vote.

Allison seized a spot in the runoff with 27.28 percent, edging Mitch Baker, who polled 25.73 percent. Baker was only 139 short of Allison’s total.

“Sure, I’m happy with the showing,” Nutt said. “I think the public wants the focus of the sheriff’s office to be law enforcement.”

He campaigned on the promise that he will get more deputies on the streets and lower response times.

Nutt came to Henderson County in 1988 as a Texas Ranger and made it his home, later serving as an investigator in the District Attorney¹s Office and

with the sheriff¹s department..

Allison has been with the sheriff¹s department since 1990. He became jail

administrator in 1993 and was promoted to his current position in 2001.

Allison is endorsed by retiring Sheriff Ronny Brownlow and his predecessor,

H.B. ³Slick² Alfred.

³When you have three or more candidates running for the same office on the

same ticket, it¹s not unusual to go into a runoff situation,² Allison said.

³I want to thank everyone who supported me in this primary election and

encourage them to come out for the runoff election.²

Baker, a patrol deputy whose career began in 1983, was close behind Allison.

Baker had vowed to improve training and increase the presence of patrol

deputies in the county. After finishing a close third in his first election,

Baker said another political race was highly possible.

³I¹ve learned. I¹ve had the opportunity to meet a lot of people. ... This

won¹t be the last time you hear from me,² he said.

Prior to the runoff, Nutt said he will keep the pace he has maintained

leading up to the primary.

³We¹ve just got to keep on working,² Nutt said. ³If people agree with your

message, we¹ll get elected.²

Allison also plans to keep the campaign in high gear: ³We¹ll start right in

again tomorrow morning.²

        

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