With State Rep. Four Price (R-Amarillo) now vacating his West Texas House seat, several potential candidates are beginning to generate buzz surrounding their possible candidacies.
In House District 87, no candidate has formally announced their campaign for 2024. Still, a number of potential candidates have been meeting with donors and supporters to generate interest for their campaigns or have publicly confirmed that they are considering joining the race.
The first to confirm their potential candidacy was former Randall County Commissioner Craig Gualtiere. Gualtiere, also a former coffee shop owner, made headlines in 2021 for launching a petition drive aimed at stopping the taxpayer-funded construction of a new city hall after voters rejected a bond for a similar project. Gualtiere confirmed via text message this week that he is still considering joining the race and is praying about his decision. Ultimately, however, Gualtiere has not yet made a final decision on whether he will be a candidate.
City of Amarillo employee Carter Estes also announced that he is mulling a possible candidacy for the seat. Estes, who previously served as assistant to city manager Jared Miller, said that he has not made a final decision on whether to run, but has been speaking to members of the community about joining the race. Prior to working for the City of Amarillo, Estes worked for Murphy Nasica & Associates, and he was the campaign manager for Josh Winegarner’s unsuccessful congressional campaign in 2020.
Potter County Republican chairman Dan Rogers also confirmed that he is considering joining the race. Rogers, a property management company owner, has served as county chair since 2018, and has developed a reputation as being a hardened supporter of paper ballots and election integrity initiatives.
Vance Snider, a former congressional candidate and Trump campaign staffer, confirmed this week that he is considering joining the race. Snider previously ran for U.S. House District 13 in 2020 and endorsed U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson after failing to make the runoff. Snider also ran for Canyon ISD Board of Trustees in 2021. Throughout his campaigns, Snider has developed a reputation for being an avid sportsman and Second Amendment advocate.
Others who have been rumored to be possible candidates for House District 87 include Amarillo realtor Cindi Bulla, attorney and Save Amarillo PAC Chairman Len Walker, and Perryton Mayor Kerry Symons.
While the list of potential candidates seems likely to continue growing, several others have ruled out joining the race.
Businessman Alex Fairly, who successfully sued to stop the City of Amarillo from moving forward with a debt-funded Civic Center project last year, announced that he will not run, but will support a conservative candidate for the seat. One of Fairly’s top rivals, former Amarillo Mayor Ginger Nelson, was also briefly rumored to be a potential candidate, but has reportedly taken herself out of the running.
Popular Potter County Commissioner John Coffee’s name also began popping up in conservative circles as a potential candidate shortly after Price’s announcement. However, Coffee has stated that he plans to seek re-election in 2024. Likewise, Potter County Republican Vice Chairman Mike Yazbek had publicly discussed running for the seat prior to Price’s announcement, but has since stated that he plans to run for precinct chair in 2024 instead of making a bid for the Texas House of Representatives.
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