State Rep. Charles “Doc” Anderson canceled a guest-speaking appearance Monday at a Burleson fundraiser for a Republican state House challenger scheduled for later in the day.

John Mabry, the Republican veterinarian’s Democratic opponent for the District 56 race, had ramped up criticism of Anderson on Monday for not agreeing to a full-fledged debate. Mabry seized on Anderson’s scheduled appearance at the fundraiser to press his point.

“Doc Anderson would rather go campaign for another House candidate in the Fort Worth suburbs than debate in his own district,” Mabry said in a news release issued Monday morning, before jabbing Anderson for supporting private school vouchers.

John Mabry (left) has ramped up criticism of State Rep. Charles "Doc" Anderson in recent days.

Kurt Krakowian, an Anderson aide, said the representative scratched the event from his calendar to campaign in his McLennan County district.

Krakowian said Anderson’s attendance at the benefit always had been tentative and the decision to pull out came prior to learning about Mabry’s criticism.

Mabry questioned Krakowian’s explanation and said Anderson’s motivation to cancel was that “it doesn’t look very good.”

The fundraiser benefited former state Rep. Bill Zedler, an Arlington conservative Republican who is trying to unseat state Rep. Chris Turner, a former campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco.

Turner, a Burleson Democrat, defeated Zedler in 2008 in a district that includes parts of Arlington, Burleson, Crowley, Fort Worth and Mansfield.

Other guest speakers listed on a schedule for Zedler’s event included U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis, as well as state Reps. Rob Orr, R-Burleson, and Phil King, R-Weatherford.

Mabry and Anderson, along with Libertarian candidate Neill Snider, are scheduled to participate at 6 tonight in a League of Women Voters candidates forum at the West Waco Library & Genealogy Center on Bosque Boulevard.

Candidates for the McLennan County district attorney’s race, Democratic incumbent John Segrest and Republican challenger Abel Reyna, are also set to attend.

Krakowian said he was told Mabry had not responded to his invitation and would not be participating in a subsequent candidate event at the Kiwanis Club in West, something Mabry disputed.

“I’m planning on being there, and if there’s a miscommunication (with the event organizers), this is the first I’ve heard of it,” Mabry said.

mshapiro@wacotrib.com

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