MERTZON, Texas — Hargrave's Store in Mertzon hosted a meet and greet event with State Representative candidates Stormy Bradley and incumbent Drew Darby Tuesday.
Early voting for primary elections began Tuesday. Darby and Bradley are battling for the Republican nomination for Texas House of Representatives, Dist. 72, which includes Irion County.
Bradley spoke with attendees first, followed by Darby. The discussions centered around illegal immigration and proposals for publicly-funded vouchers for private schools. Darby said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's support of Bradley only came after he voted against including school vouchers in 2023's education funding bill.
"I've enjoyed Gov. Abbott's endorsement every time I've ran," Darby said. "Except for this time. And this time it boils down to my decision on one issue. This whole race is about one issue."
Some attendees voiced concerns that public schools in rural areas would suffer under a program where anyone could apply for a voucher for any reason. Others asked how a voucher program would affect children with special needs. Bradley currently serves on the Coahoma Independent School District's board of trustees.
Attendees said they enjoyed the open forum. Irion County Judge Molly Criner said she expects Tuesday's discussions to have an impact elsewhere.
"(The word) is gonna get around," she said. "It's not really just limited to the few people who were here. Other people are gonna hear about what was said, what was asked (and) how people felt about it."
The primary election is March 5. Bradley and Abbott will host an event Friday at Angry Cactus Bar & Grill in San Angelo.