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Another candidate has filed to challenge incumbent Walt Smith for the position of Hays County Commissioner in Precinct 4 in the Republican Party Primary Election.
Despite candidate Moira Zinn’s early withdrawal from the campaign season, the race for County Commissioner has remained fairly quiet. Smith sent out his official campaign announcement on Tuesday, Dec. 21 and had since been running unopposed in the public eye. Now, Republican challenger Joe Bateman has joined the fray.
Bateman launched his Facebook campaign page with a post on Saturday, Jan. 1. His campaign will formally kick off with an event at Twisted X Brewing Company on Monday, Jan. 10 at 5:30 p.m., according to the post.
Bateman said he decided to run for County Commissioner to better serve the community, according to an interview with the Century News.
“A lot of people in the community don’t fully understand what the County Commissioner does,” he explained. “There’s a lot of frustration with a lack of transparency in our local leaders, and their actions aren’t following the interests of the community. Seeing that, I felt compelled to take a more active role.”
In addition to focusing on integrity and accountability, Bateman highlighted infrastructure management and fiscal responsibility as the key points of his conservative campaign.
“Decisions today have such monumental impact,” he said. “I moved to Hays County, to Dripping Springs, so that I could start a family in a place with deep-rooted, hometown values. We’re starting to see that change, and it’s important to learn how to address growth in order for Dripping Springs to stay a place to raise future generations.”
Although Bateman said he is not a politician, he said he has always had a passion for politics and government.
“I grew up in Austin, and I’d walk to my grandparents’ house for breakfast multiple times a week — even up until I graduated college,” he explained. “Those coffee talks helped build my moral compass and gave me my conservative approach to government.”
Bateman has worked 23 years in the private sector, leading large organizations (including Fortune 10 companies) through transformation. For more information, visit electjoebateman.com.
