Ben Perry gains endorsement of former opponent in commissioner race
By Regina Dennis Tribune-Herald staff writer
County Commissioner Precinct 4 candidate Ben Perry secured an endorsement of former rival Republican contender Ed Petrich on Tuesday that he hopes will boost his chances of winning in the upcoming runoff election.
Petrich announced his endorsement of Perry for the commissioner seat in a brief press conference on the steps of the McLennan County Courthouse.
Perry faces 24-year incumbent Ray Meadows in an April 13 runoff election after both men failed to garner at least 50 percent of the total votes in the Republican primary March 2.

Ed Petrich (left) announces his endorsement Tuesday of Ben Perry (right), his former Republican rival in the County Commissioner Precinct 4 race. Perry will face longtime incumbent Ray Meadows in the runoff election April 13.
Duane A. Laverty/Waco Tribune-Herald
Petrich, a manager at New York Clothiers in downtown Waco, was the first candidate to announce his campaign challenging Meadows.
He finished in third place in the primary, earning 813 total votes, or 8.6 percent.
Petrich said he is not bitter about the outcome of the election and that bringing new leadership to the Precinct 4 seat is more important.
Perry, an insurance agent from Woodway, nearly garnered enough votes to win the primary outright. He had 49.3 percent of the vote to Meadows’ 42.1 percent.
Perry said he reached out to Petrich in the days after the primary, courting the endorsement.
He said Tuesday he was honored and appreciative to have Petrich’s support, which he hopes will translate into enough votes from Petrich’s followers to win the runoff.
“We welcome and appreciate his support as well as any support from his followers,” Perry said.
Meadows said he is not surprised Petrich endorsed Perry, since both men were endorsed by the Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Association of McLennan County.
“Petrich works for New York Clothiers, where he sells a lot of uniforms and clothing to sheriff’s deputies, police patrolmen,” Meadows said, “and I’m sure he felt that if he didn’t endorse Perry, he thought he would lose some of their business.
Meadows said he called Petrich the day after the election to seek an endorsement.
Petrich said New York Clothiers does a minimal amount of business with the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office and mostly sells uniforms and gear to Waco Police Department and other small towns around and outside McLennan County.
“My main thing in endorsing (Ben Perry) is that I want to get (Meadows) out of there, or else I wouldn’t have run in the first place,” Petrich said.
The runoff winner will face Democrat Will Stevens and Libertarian David Meine in November’s election.
rdennis@wacotrib.com
757-5755
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Vote against the good ole boy system of ray Meadows. he voted to give that stinking coal plant a 15 year tax free zone. He went aginst what the people did not want. Vote Ray out and his 12% raise
CIVIL SERVICE will cost the county more money. Perry will raise your taxes. Re-elect Meadows
Re-Elect Meadows!!!
UNION-- Get your facts straight...Perry has not told the sheriff's office that he will get them a union (unions are not legal in Texas law enforcement). He has said is a supporter of CIVIL SERVICE (completely different from a union-no dues, no strikes, etc.). Waco Police, Waco Fire, and Hewitt Police are all civil service agencies. Perry is the man for the job; he has the business experience to run the county like a business, the public safety background that allows him some insight to how the counties largest division works (the Sheriff's Office) and has been a local government employee himself.
Way to go Ben. Ben knows what is going on and will step up to any challenge.
Your article states "Meadows said he called Petrich the day after the election to seek an endorsement". Then Mr. Meadows trash talks Petrich when he doesn't get his endorsement. First to go is Mr. Meadows, then Jim Lewis. Mr. Meadows should apologize to Petrich and Perry for Meadows sour grapes. The county doesn't need to move to a new century, it needs to move to honesty. VOTE PERRY!
Vote For Perry !!!
How many jobs has Perry had in the last 10 years????? Someone needs to ask him this. He is not sure what he wants to do. He is a job hopper.
Why would any real Republican vote for Perry? He has told the Sheriff's dept he will get them a union. That will cost taxpayers a lot of money. He also has said he will keep down property taxes. Not if there is a union around. This guy has no clue. He does not know what he is getting himself into. Be sure what you are voting for people. Change is not always good. Look at Obama.
All the "good ole boys" need to put down the bottle and take note. Your days are numbered. No more of "I'll do what I damn well please, this is my county". It's our county and you'll do what we please.
I have no life, but Ben Perry would not do a good job. He has neverheld a job where decisions matter. He has never run a business. He has promised to fix private roads for votes. Sorry Ben, you cant do that. If you are elected I will be your worse nightmare. HAHAHAHA
Perry will not have a clue what to do. What is his background? Nothing!!!!!
Meadows in 2005 should have "FIXED OUR ROAD RAY"........you could have come out and attempted a fix, but figured you were to high and mighty for the rest of us little people.....bye, bye RAY!!!!
I agree about Jim Lewis, but all I could do is choose not to vote on the primary ballot. I hope the Dems have someone running against him, but many positions didn't in this primary, so this primary was the only vote we got. Lewis needs to be replaced far more than Meadows.
Lets get rid of Meadows then we can work on Jim Lewis next. This county needs to move on from the 70's and into the 2000's
So sad Meadows having to work a little bit and spend some of that money for doing nothing to try to get re-elected. Ha! Vote them "Good old Boys" out! Go Perry! I wonder if old Lewis is worried, You know he is!!
Petrich did not endorse Perry to avoid losing business, as Meadows suggests. Petrich endorsed Perry because it's time for Meadows to go! If you voted in the Republican primary, please vote for Ben Perry in the runoff on April 13th.
VOTE FOR BEN PERRY!!! ..Vote AGAINST Meadows! ... Vote For BEN PERRY!
With Meadows being the "former" liasion over the Sheriffs Office, he should know that they do not buy but a minimal amount through W Promotions. Grasping at straws!!
Crunk gone, Meadows next and then Gibson and Mashek. Then the good ole boys will be history
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