Republican Senate candidates trade barbs at Wichita Falls forum
The candidates for the Republican nomination for the 30th District state Senate seat took off the gloves at a forum in Wichita Falls Thursday, challenging each other’s qualifications for the job.
Brent Hagenbuch, a former Denton County Republican chair, contrasted his career as a businessman creating jobs to opponent Jace Yarbrough’s profession as a trial lawyer.
“Businessmen make money. Trial lawyers try to take your money,” he said, calling Yarbrough “a smooth talker.”
He said Yarbrough has “bounced from three or four different firms” since he graduated from law school six years ago.
More: Wichita County residents pick candidates in Tuesday primaries
“That’s certainly not a record of success like I’ve had,” Hagenbuch said.
Yarbrough said he left law firms to start his own practice “to fight for conservative causes.”
“My law firm and I are proud to represent Texas Right to Life,” he said, pointing out they’re representing clients who sued the city of San Antonio for paying to have Texas women transported out of state to have abortions.
Hagenbuch, a former Navy officer, questioned Yarbrough’s military record.
“He had difficulties in the Air Force. My opponent has said he is not promotable,” Hagenbuch said.
Yarbrough, a major in the Air Force Reserves, said he is not promotable because he refused to be vaccinated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It would have violated my faith. I’m proud of it,” he said. “I’m running for this office because institutions that Texans have to rely on, like the military, have been turned against Texas families.”
Yarbrough claimed Hagenbuch drove the Denton County Republican Party into the ground when he was chairman.
“He left it bankrupt, divided and dysfunctional,” Yarbrough said.
Hagenbuch said the GOP party reversed a growing trend of Democratic Party voting while he was chair.
Yarbrough questioned whether Hagenbuch actually lived in the 30th Senate District as required by law, an issue that sparked controversy before the March 5 primary.
“The Denton County GOP has formally twice condemned my opponent for pathological lying over residency,” he said. “His residency claims are absurd.”
Hagenbuch said the residency question has gone to court three times, and each time he prevailed.
“He knows this. It’s time to stop calling me a liar,” Hagenbuch responded.
Hagenbuch mentioned his endorsements from former President Donald Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott and other party leaders.
Yarbrough said he has the support of grassroot conservatives.
Both men touted their Christian and conservative beliefs, and both put border security high on their list of priorities.
“I’m committed to secure the border and make sure we rid ourselves of the invaders that have come in,” Hagenbuch said. “Our families are not safe until we do that.”
“If we elect President Trump in November, that’s awesome. We’re going to reverse the trend at the border,” Yarbrough said. “But the next Democrat is going to remanufacture this crisis.”
The candidates spoke at a forum hosted by the Wichita Falls Tea Party Patriots at Red River Harley-Davidson.
Four Republican candidates ran for the Senate seat in March after incumbent Drew Springer decided to not run for re-election. Because no candidates got 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters, Hagenbuch and Yarbrough, were forced into a runoff.
Democrats also have a runoff between Michael Braxton and Dale Frey for their party’s nomination for the race.
The runoff elections are May 28.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Senate candidates trade barbs at WF forum
