As voters across the Texas Panhandle prepare for the March Republican primary, a series of local races and issues are drawing attention in communities spanning from Amarillo to the rural counties that define much of the area. Contests for seats in the Texas House, multiple Justice of the Peace positions, a county commissioner post, and scrutiny surrounding an early voting security lapse have combined to create a busy and closely watched primary season.
From state legislative leadership debates to local judicial experience and election security protocols, Republican voters in several Panhandle districts will shape the direction of representation at both the Capitol and county courthouses.
Texas House District 86: Holly Jeffreys and Jamie Haynes
House District 86 spans seven Panhandle counties — Dallam, Hartley, Oldham, Deaf Smith, Parmer, Randall, and Armstrong — covering largely rural communities alongside Amarillo-area suburbs. Agriculture, small business development, healthcare access, public education, and property taxes remain central concerns for voters in the district.
Holly Jeffreys: Healthcare and Academic Leadership
Holly Jeffreys, an Amarillo native, built her career in rural healthcare before transitioning into higher education administration. Early in her professional life, she worked to expand access to medical care in smaller Panhandle communities, helping establish clinics in towns such as Panhandle, Boys Ranch, Vega, Bushland, and Claude.
Her work in Bushland extended beyond healthcare delivery to include establishing a pharmacy and a coffee shop, reflecting a broader focus on community sustainability.
Jeffreys later moved into academic leadership and now serves as dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at West Texas A&M University. In that role, she oversees dozens of faculty members and academic programs that supply a significant portion of the region’s nursing and healthcare workforce. Workforce shortages in rural healthcare settings have been a recurring issue in the Panhandle, and Jeffreys’ administrative experience centers on training pipelines and partnerships between universities and small-town providers.
At the state level, Jeffreys has served in advisory capacities connected to healthcare policy. Her experience includes participation in the Lieutenant Governor’s Health Care Advisory Board, involvement with the Texas Board of Nursing, and work related to Medicaid and CHIP advisory efforts in earlier years. She has also served as an expert witness and case reviewer for nursing regulatory matters.
Her civic résumé includes nonprofit and board leadership roles with regional healthcare organizations and foundations. She and her husband, a rancher, have raised four children in the Panhandle and emphasize longstanding family and faith ties in the region.
Jeffreys’ campaign reflects an approach rooted in institutional leadership, healthcare policy experience, and collaboration within established state systems.
Jamie Haynes: Business and Grassroots Activism
Jamie Haynes brings a background in technology, business, and conservative grassroots organizing. Born in Austin and raised on a ranch in Central Texas, she later moved to the Panhandle after attending Texas Tech University.
Her early career included work as a computer programmer and quality assurance analyst. After earning an MBA from West Texas A&M University, she launched a photography business before transitioning into real estate. As part of her family’s brokerage, Triangle Realty, she focused on marketing, branding, and technology integration, helping grow the firm’s regional presence.
Haynes’ civic engagement expanded into election administration, including service as an election judge and volunteer deputy registrar in Randall County. Following the COVID-19 period, she became increasingly active in conservative activism, founding Texans Wake Up, an organization focused on parental rights and education policy issues.
She has served in Republican Party roles at the precinct and county levels and participated in state party legislative priority subcommittees, particularly in areas tied to education and parental rights. Nationally, she has engaged with organizations such as the Club for Growth Foundation and the Protect Child Health Coalition.
Haynes’ campaign emphasizes constitutional principles, limited government, and direct advocacy on education and cultural issues. Her profile reflects a grassroots-oriented approach that contrasts with Jeffreys’ institutional and healthcare-focused résumé.
Texas House District 88: Ken King and John Browning
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Republican voters in Texas House District 88 are deciding between longtime incumbent Ken King and challenger John Browning.
King has represented the district since 2012. His legislative record includes chairing the House State Affairs Committee and serving on the Committee on House Administration during the 89th Legislative Session. He was also appointed to lead the Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding in response to severe flooding in Central Texas.
King has received endorsements from high-profile Republican leaders, including former President Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Trump endorsed a group of House Republicans who supported education savings account legislation in April 2025, including King.
Browning, an independent oil and gas producer, has centered his campaign on protecting schools, reducing government waste, defending faith and freedom, and advocating for rural communities. He has drawn support from conservative advocacy organizations including Texas Right to Life, Texans for Strong Borders, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, Protecting Texas Children, Texas Gun Rights, and True Texas Project.
In campaign messaging, Browning said he will “protect our schools from indoctrination, bring honesty to budgeting and taxation, and make sure government serves people, not the other way around.”
Campaign finance reports indicate significant fundraising activity on both sides. King reported raising more than $850,000 in a recent reporting period, while Browning’s political action committee reported raising nearly $690,000.
District 88 covers parts of Lubbock and several rural counties, including Briscoe, Castro, Childress, Wheeler, Cochran, Collingsworth, Donley, Swisher, and Hansford. The district is considered strongly Republican, making the primary outcome especially consequential.
Potter County Commissioner Precinct 2: Blair Schaffer and Jeff Raef
At the county level, voters in Potter County Precinct 2 are choosing between incumbent Blair Schaffer and challenger Jeff Raef for commissioner.
Schaffer, raised in Amarillo and a graduate of Palo Duro High School, built his career in emergency services. A longtime member of the Amarillo Fire Department, he earned certification as an EMT Intermediate and has emphasized public safety experience in his campaign.
Since taking office as commissioner, Schaffer has highlighted infrastructure improvements, quarterly town hall meetings, and administrative modernization efforts, including updated county software systems. He has supported projects such as improvements to the Southeast 3rd underpass and redevelopment initiatives through TIRZ 2.
Raef, also a lifelong Potter County resident, operated a small business for more than 25 years before transitioning to work as a professional truck driver. His campaign emphasizes fiscal conservatism, cost control, and efficiency in county operations.
Raef has identified strengthening law enforcement resources and addressing county jail capacity concerns as key priorities. He frames his candidacy as bringing private-sector management experience to local government.
Both candidates highlight local roots and community involvement, but their professional paths — one grounded in public safety and government service, the other in entrepreneurship and logistics — shape distinct campaign messages.
Justice of the Peace Races in Potter County
Multiple Justice of the Peace races are also on the ballot in Potter County, with both contested primaries and incumbent challenges.
Precinct 1
The Republican primary for Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 features Amanda Mayfield, Lisa DeVries, and Bryan Tackett. The seat is expected to open with the anticipated retirement of longtime officeholder Judge Debbie Horn.
Mayfield brings a legal background, including a law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law and experience in appellate courts, private practice, and civil administrative matters. Her campaign emphasizes legal expertise and continuity in court operations.
DeVries, a licensed peace officer with nearly two decades in law enforcement, highlights her experience with the Potter County Sheriff’s Office and focuses on efficiency and community accessibility in the courtroom.
Tackett, a business owner and ministry leader with a background in insurance and financial services, emphasizes transparency, civic engagement, and early intervention in issues such as truancy.
All three candidates cite fairness, impartiality, and public service as guiding principles, though their professional backgrounds differ significantly.
Precinct 3
In Precinct 3, incumbent Justice of the Peace Gary Jackson faces challenger Zechariah “Zach” Harvey.
Jackson, who has served approximately 15 years in the role, emphasizes his experience and commitment to conducting trials within statutory timeframes and maintaining responsible budget oversight.
Harvey, a 25-year-old county employee and former precinct chair, centers his campaign on increasing civic engagement, expanding online communication, and improving accessibility to the office.
Precinct 2
The Republican primary in Precinct 2 features incumbent Robert J. Taylor and challenger Alex “AJ” Casias.
Taylor, currently serving in the role, highlights years of justice system experience and community involvement, along with goals of improving fine and fee collection and maintaining staff training standards.
Casias, an engineering support professional active in local Republican organizations, emphasizes transparency, teamwork, and modernization of court operations.
Early Voting Security Incident in Randall County
Amid the campaign activity, election administration procedures have also drawn attention following a security lapse at an early voting location in Randall County.
The incident occurred at the Southwest Library Branch in Amarillo, where doors to the polling room were reportedly left unlocked after polls closed on Feb. 26.
According to Randall County Election Administrator Shannon Lackey, she was notified at 6:37 p.m. that the entrance doors were unsecured after a voter reported the issue. Lackey contacted library staff and law enforcement, and a deputy confirmed the doors were locked shortly afterward.
In a statement shared with state and county officials, Lackey said, “I have attached the statement that I provided to the Secretary of State, County Judge, Sheriff and County Chairs. I am also including the statement from APD after reviewing the security surveillance video that is outside the door at the library. She observed the lights off and the voting equipment unattended.”
Craig Cothrin of the Amarillo Police Department’s Digital Forensic Unit reviewed surveillance footage and provided a timeline:
“I observed poll workers leave the polling location at approximately 5:25 pm. The doors to the polling room remained unlocked after their departure.
“Between approximately 5:25 pm and 6:45 pm, three individuals opened the door to the polling room, observed the lights were off, and left. One of those individuals briefly stepped inside the room, realized no staff were present, and exited shortly thereafter.”
Officials reported that after reviewing security seals, serial numbers, and chain-of-custody documentation, no discrepancies were found. Law enforcement indicated the voting equipment appeared undisturbed.
Looking Ahead to Primary Day
Across legislative and local judicial contests, Panhandle voters are weighing experience against change, institutional leadership against grassroots activism, and differing approaches to governance at both the state and county levels.
