Written by Leland Acker – State Representative Mike Lang will face a primary challenge from the superintendent of Granbury ISD. Dr. Jim Largent announced his candidacy for House District 60 on his Facebook page and campaign website Monday. Largent has served as Granbury ISD Superintendent since 2012, previously serving as Rusk ISD superintendent in East Texas.
“I am very concerned that too many politicians today are taking marching orders from powerful special interests and no longer represent the people who elected them. When politicians care more about pleasing a handful of wealthy elites than standing up for their districts, communities like ours lose our representation. I’m running to take it back,” Largent said on his Web site.
Largent has gained attention as Granbury ISD superintendent, writing essays criticizing the politicization of school transgender bathroom policies and the state’s A-F accountability ratings system for public schools.
He challenges Rep. Lang, who is finishing out his first term as State Representative. During his first term in the Texas Legislature, Rep. Lang sponsored or co-sponsored bills which would have removed the licensing requirements for carrying a handgun in public, that would have called on Congress to call an Article V Convention of States for the purpose of amending the U.S. Constitution, that would have included a civics test as a high school graduation requirement, and that would have called for a study of unfunded mandates imposed by the state onto county governments.
Rep. Lang also sponsored a bill that would have banned the Brown County Attorney’s Office from accepting donations as a condition of a pre-trial diversion program. He was a member of the Texas Freedom Caucus, and supported a measure where the House Republican Caucus would select its candidate for Speaker of the House, as opposed to nominating a Speaker from the floor.
The Primary Election will be held Tuesday, March 6, 2018, with early voting from Feb. 20-March 2, 2018.
Locally, County Judge Ray West faces a challenge in the GOP Primary from Paul Lilly. Pct. 2 Commissioner Joel Kelton faces a challenge from Eddie Lord. All other Brown County office holders filed for re-election without challengers.
