Primary election preview: Phillips faces 2 Republican challengers in Smith Co. commissioner race

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - In the race for Smith County Pct. 3 commissioner, incumbent Terry Phillips faces two challengers in the Republican primary.

Phillips first took office in January 2009 and has represented the county’s largest commissioner precinct ever since.

“I believe that my experience on the court, with such a young court, with the institutional knowledge that I have from past courts and things that have gone on, brings a great deal of help to Smith County,” Phillips said. “Just knowing those things that happened in the past.”

In the last year, Phillips has faced criticism for his family’s legal trouble with the county. This includes his son having to be forcibly removed from a commissioners court meeting and multi-million dollar lawsuits filed against the county by his wife, county clerk Karen Phillips, and their other son.

“I don’t think that should influence at all how I do my job as a county. I’m not them, they’re not me. I work for the citizens of the county,” Phillips said.

If re-elected, Phillips said he intends to do the job just as he has since he was first elected 16 years ago.

“I believe that I’m bringing a conservative balance to the court. I’m the only commissioner that’s voted against all the tax increases in the past and some of the other things. I just am a voice for the taxpayer. And that’s what I want to continue to be,” Phillips said.

But both of Phillips’ opponents in the Republican primary believe cooperation with other members of the court is also necessary.

“You need to be able to convince at least one other person to vote with you, whether it’s for or against something. Otherwise, it’s not really benefiting the constituents,” said Rusty Smith.

Smith’s experience includes serving as mayor of Winona for four terms beginning in 2006, a position he was elected to after serving as a city alderman beginning in 2000.

“I bring 14 years of experience in local government,” Smith said. “I’m familiar with the Texas statutes, government code, open meetings act, the things that you’re required to follow and understand to do this job.”

In addition to his experience in government, Smith has also served as a volunteer fireman.

“Part of why I’m doing this is looking to serve again,” Smith said. “Serve the community on a broader scale than what I’ve done in the past.”

The other Republican candidate looking to unseat the incumbent is Smith County native J. Scott Herod.

“The key here is the need for change,” Herod said. “Through relationships, through my communications and conversations with different people, it became evident that there was a need for change. Just on the business side alone in precinct three, we needed new representation. Voting no all the time for no sake is not effective. I call it ‘no for no knowledge.’”

Herod’s background includes overseeing rural banks for Bank of America. It’s a much different career than the one he now has as a rancher and owner of Cut Beef in Tyler.

“The community has really rallied around us and we’ve gone from a single acre and a single cow to now supplying beef to restaurants here locally and families locally, and we ship all over the United States,” Herod said.

Herod believes he’s the right man for the job at the right time, and said he doesn’t feel the position of commissioner is one that any one person should “camp out in.”

“As we all change generationally, I think that position is meant to change. And if you want to continue to be involved in politics, great. Move up or move into some different roles,” Herod said.

The winner of the Republican primary will compete in November against the winner of the Democratic primary. The two Democratic candidates are Dave Hansen and Edith Mayfield Wilson. They will be profiled in a report later this week.

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