Waco Tribune-Herald Reverses Editorial Policy -

Endorses Kip Averitt Prior To Primary Election
Special TEA Party Conference Call Tonight at 9:30 p.m. -

Remarking that of all the primary races coming next Tuesday,
"none is stranger" than the State District 22 race, the
venerable Waco daily newspaper reversed its editorial policy
and endorsed incumbent State Senator Kip Averitt prior to
the General Election season.

Members of the Tribune-Herald's editorial board often invite
primary candidates to be interviewed by them and answer
questions about their careers, their policies and their
candidacy. They shy away from endorsing candidates,
preferring the editorial board interview approach prior to
the nomination of a candidate.

The incumbent Senator, long-time legislator Kip Averitt had
previously abandoned his re-election campaign due to health
concerns. A "Keep Kip" movement led by Republican Party of
Texas Executive Committee member Chris DeCluitt has
flourished in past days, vowing to see to it that the
Senator is nominated and elected to succeed himself as the
powerful Natural Resources Committee Chairman and champion
of the state's water development plan.

Tribune-Herald Senior Editor Bill Whitaker commented, saying
that though he had extended an invitation for the
challenger, Mr. Darren Yancy, to meet with members of the
paper's editorial board and political Staff Writer Michael
Shapiro, Mr. Yancy never responded to the invitation.

Thus, there was no opportunity to "come by and talk policy."

The editorial, which appeared in Sunday's edition, cited how
civic and business leaders had become "nervous about the
sudden lack of a viable choice, especially as reports began
to surface about hwat some argue is Yancy's seeming penchant
for frivolous lawsuits and the loss of his real estate
license lat year for 'untrustworthiness.'"

Darren Yancy will appear on a special conference call
organized by Waco TEA Party operative Toby Marie Walker. He
will make himself available to answer callers' questions
about the allegations advanced by the editorial and his
reactions to the call for a victory by Senator Averitt and
the possibility of a special election in which voters may
choose from candidates nominated by the County Republican
Chairmen of the District.

He has previously stated in a radio appearance that he has
garnered the commitment of a majority of those ten chairmen
in the district.

The conference call appearance will take place at 9:30 p.m.
today, Sunday, Feb. 28. To participate, call 218-339-2699
and enter this code: 261532#