Told ya

Back in November, when Brazoria County voters rejected a $38.5 million bond proposal to build a new rodeo palace, we wrote this, which said the huge nay vote was bad news for the re-election of County Judge John Willy, who looked like a fence-sitter by not acting decisively on the issue and turning it over to a "blue-ribbon" panel, which put a ridiculous, over-the-top proposal before the voters.

Willy lost to former Sheriff Joe King yesterday by a 13-point margin.

There will no tears shed among the local, Clute-based news media, nor will there be cheering. (Not that any of you should care.)

Willy regularly reamed about the Clute newshounds if he found offense in the wit or wisdom of their prose. In turn, they called him "Lobster Boy" behind his back -- a homage of sorts to his perpetually flushed red complexion.

The only run-in I ever had with Willy, and it can't even be called a run-in, is when I quoted him (accurately, as it turns out) saying "hell" in a quote.

He asked that I edit out those kind of bon mots that spilled forth from his piehole, saying, perhaps joshingly, that his mama took note of the H-E-double hockey sticks she saw attributed to her son in the big city paper and chastized him for it.

I did not agreee to do so and merely smiled, if I recall correctly.

If nothing else, this illustrates the wide and deep gulf of misunderstanding that exists between public officeholders in our humble county and the Fourth Estate.

Let me try to explain it one more time: We write down what you say. We don't write it down and then edit it to try to make you look better or more articulate or more chaste than you otherwise may be. Unless we really like you. And we usually don't.

That said, I'm guessing the local Clute-based news media is NOT rejoicing at King's victory. He has little, if any, regard for the scribbling class, viewing them as more a pain in the arse rather than as a tool that he should attempt to bend to his will with the same, countryboy, aw-shucks charm he uses on the electorate.
[the local paper]

King's support was widespread

There was no north/south split in the vote for county judge, says the blogger/political operative who was involved in the Joe King campaign.
[texas safety forum]