Montezuma County Republican Central Committee has canceled Wednesday’s planned evening debate among three candidates seeking the Republican nomination for county commissioner.
Committee Secretary Cindy Wallace said one candidate fell ill with the stomach flu, prompting the rescheduling. A new date is expected to be announced shortly.
“Tonight's debate has been postponed due to the puke bug. I apologize for the short notice, I was hoping my kids didn't contaminate me, but it's inevitable, they are Petri dishes. I hope you stay clear of this bug,” candidate Bonnie Anderson wrote on Facebook.
Vying for the GOP nomination in the June 30 primary are candidates Diane Fox-Spratlen, Rodney Cox and Anderson. The seat is currently held by County Commissioner Jim Candelaria and will be determined during November’s general election.
Fox-Spratlen, a retired police officer, and Anderson, former Montezuma County noxious weed program director, won the Republican nominations after advancing through a second round of voting at the party’s county assembly March 21. While, Cox, a fifth-generation resident and retired store owner, qualified by petition. Cox gathered enough signatures to advance without participating in the assembly process that had three other contestants – Brett Likes, Shane Prentice and Gerald Whited.
During the assembly process, Fox-Spratlen received 36 votes, Anderson received 35, Prentice received 33, Whited received 19 and Likes received eight. A total of 131 paper ballots were cast by delegates. Wallace said the new date will likely fall before or after the May 6 county clerk debate. The May 6 debate is between Lenetta Shull and Jerri Frizzell at the Chamber of Commerce, 20 W. Main St. at 6 p.m.
Montezuma County League of Women Voters is also hosting a candidate forum June 3 at the County Annex, with more details follow closer to the event.
Rebecca Busic, a Democrat, and unaffiliated candidate Dennis Bugg are also running for the commissioner seat.
awatson@the-journal.com
