With less than a week to go both political parties will know who their candidates will be for the November General Election after the May 27 Primary Run-Off Election is completed next Tuesday. Republicans are the only party who have run-off elections on the local level while both parties have them at the state level. All registered voters who did not vote in the March 4 Primary Election may vote in either party for the run-off election.

John Dubose will face Brint Carlton for Orange County Judge in the run-off. Dubose is former Precinct 3 county commissioner. Carlton is a misdemeanor prosecutor in the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

Barry Burton is in the run-off election against Ron Cowling Sr. Burton. Burton is an Orangefield businessman and former director on the Mauriceville Municipal Utilities District board and Cowling is a financial advisor and former Pinehurst city councilman.

Dr. Brian Babin, a Woodville dentist, will go against Ben Streusand, a Houston area businessman in the run-off to be the Republican nominee for U.S. Representative for District 36. The winner will run against Democrat Michael Cole of Orange in the November General Election.

Things heated up in the election when Carlton ran advertisement stating that former Orange County Judges R.L. “Pete” Runnels and James Stringer endorsed him for county judge. Both Runnels and Stringer said they did not endorse Carlton.

“He (Carlton) called me and apologized and said he takes full responsibility for the ad. He said he should had checked it out,” Runnels said. Runnels said he was not personally contacted by Carlton about an endorsement but he was contacted by some of his supporters.

Stringer said he met Carlton for the first time the other day. Carlton also called Stringer and apologized about the endorsement.

“He (Carlton) could had walked through my door and I would not know him. His father and I have been friends for a number of years, though,” he said.

Stringer said two of Carlton’s supporters asked him to attend an event for Carlton. Stringer said he was a staunch Democrat and he couldn’t attend.

Dubose believes Carlton ran the ad because he wanted voters to think Runnels and Stringer endorsed him.

“I don’t think it was an accident. You can’t un-ring a bell,” Dubose said.

He added he doesn’t know if the ad will help or hurt Carlton in the race.

The Orange County Republican Party hosted a debate on May 5 for the contested races at the Orange County Convention & Expo Center.

On the state level Republican run-off races, Dan Patrick will face incumbent David Dewhurst for lieutenant governor, Dan Branch will face Ken Paxton for Attorney General, Sid Miller will face Tommy Merritt for Agricultural Commissioner and Wayne Christian will face Ryan Sitton for Railroad Commissioner.

The only Democratic Party run-off elections are for state offices.

David M. Alameel will face Kesha Rogers, a Lyndon Larouche supporter, to be the U.S. Senate nominee.

Richard “Kinky” Friedman will face Jim Hogan for Agricultural Commissioner.

Results for the first two days of early voting, May 19, are as follows: Republicans-Orange 241/193 votes; Bridge City 176/131 votes; Vidor 87/96 votes; Mauriceville 149/106 votes; Mail 527/24 votes; Total 1,180/552 votes.

Democrats-Orange 20/21 votes; Bridge City 7/10 votes; Vidor 9/6 votes; Mauriceville 4/1 votes; Mail 247/7 votes; Total 287/45 votes.

The following are early voting locations for the run-off primary; Wilson Bldg.- Lamar State College- Orange, 506 Green Ave. in Orange; Bridge City Public Works Building, 220 Nitsche Street; First Baptist Church of Mauriceville, 11540 Highway 12; and Raymond Gould Community Center, 385 Claiborne Street in Vidor. Voting is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 19-May 23, Monday through Friday at all four locations..

Orange County 2014 Voting Precincts for March 27 Run-Off, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., for the Democrat and Republican Primary Election are as follows:

Box 1- Cove Baptist Church at 1005 DuPont Drive in Orange.

Box 2- West Orange-Stark Middle School at 1402 W. Green Avenue in Orange.

Box 3- North School at 801 Cordrey Street in Orange.

Box 4- Alexander Homes Senior Citizens Center at 2023 N. 4th Street in Orange.

Box 5- Trinity Baptist Church at 1819 16th Street in Orange.

Box 6- North Orange Pentecostal Church at 7144 N. 16th Street (N. Highway 87) in Orange.

Box 7- National Guard Armory at 4103 Meeks in Orange.

Box 8- LCM Administration Building at 6586 FM 1130 in Orange.

Box 9- Sabine River Authority at 12777 N. Highway 87 in Orange.

Box 10- Winfree Baptist Church at 19525 Highway 62 S. in Orange.

Box 11- West Orange City Hall at 2700 Western Avenue in Orange.

Box 12- West Orange-Stark High School at 1400 Newton Street in Orange.

Box 13- Masonic Temple at 3528 South Street in Orange.

Box 14- The Salvation Army at 1950 MLK Drive in Orange.

Box 15- Texas Department of Transportation Building at 3128 N. Highway 62 in Orange.

Box 16- Mauriceville Volunteer Fire Department at 10691 N. Highway 62 in Mauriceville.

Box 17- Pine Forest Baptist Church at 4800 N. Main Street in Vidor.

Box 18- Oak Forest Elementary School at 2400 Highway 12 in Vidor.

Box 19- Raymond Gould Community Center at 385 Claiborne Street in Vidor.

Box 20- Vidor High School at 500 Orange Street in Vidor.

Box 21- Rose City City Hall at 370 Rose City Drive in Vidor.

Box 22- Pecan Acres Baptist Church at 14795 Duncan Woods Lane in Vidor.

Box 23- Orangefield High School at 10058 FM 105 in Orangefield.

Box 24- Bridge City High School at 2690 Texas Avenue in Bridge City.

Box 25- Bridge City Public Works Building at 220 Nitsche Street in Bridge City.

Box 26- Bridge City Knights of Columbus Hall at 495 W. Roundbunch Road in Bridge City.

Box 27- Pine Forest Elementary School at 4150 N. Main Street in Vidor.

Box 28- St. Paul Methodist Church at 1155 W. Roundbunch Road in Bridge City.

Box 29- Vidor High School at 500 Orange Street in Vidor.

Box 30- Orange County Drainage District at 8081 Old Highway 90 in Orange.

Box 31- First Baptist Church of Mauriceville at 11540 Highway 12 in Mauriceville.

Box 32- Eagles Height Church- 11815 Interstate 10 in Orange.

Box 33- Vidor Elementary School at 400 E. Railroad (Old Highway 90) in Vidor.

Box 34- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church at 1600 N. Main Street in Vidor.

Early voting has started for the May 27 Primary Run-Off Election. Local Republican run-off races include Dr. Brian Babin versus Ben Steusand for U.S. Representative, Barrry Burton versus Ron Cowling Sr. for Precinct 2 county commissioner, and the two men pictured above, Brint Carlton, left, and John Dubose for Orange County Judge. RECORD PHOTO: David Ball