Pampa businessman Ted Hutto has filed to challenge State Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) in next year’s Republican primary for Texas House District 88.
Hutto, who currently serves on the Pampa Economic Development Corporation board of directors, filed last week to challenge King for the Republican nomination in District 88, a rural district that encompasses much of the Texas Panhandle with the notable exceptions of Amarillo, Lubbock, Perryton, Canyon, Dumas, and Hereford. Hutto will be King’s first primary challenger in four years after King narrowly avoided a runoff in a competitive primary race that featured two opponents in 2018.
In an interview with Texas Scorecard, Hutto said he plans to campaign on the conservative values that he believes align with the values of those in the Texas Panhandle and West Texas.
“We’re pro-life, for the Second Amendment, and for lower taxes,” Hutto said. “For the most part, I think that’s West Texas values.”
Hutto said he also plans to campaign on economic development and bringing new business to District 88, drawing on his experience as an automotive dealership owner and Pampa EDC board member. Hutto said since joining the Pampa EDC, the organization has attracted 500 new jobs to the city, and he wants to see similar economic growth in the other towns and cities in District 88.
The incumbent in District 88, King, has often been the subject of conservative disapproval due to his low scores on several conservative legislative ratings. King has consistently been ranked among the least conservative Republicans in the Texas House in ratings released by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility and other conservative organizations.
Voters will decide the campaign between King and Hutto in the Republican primary election scheduled for March 1, 2022.
