By Maryanne Rogers
While growing up, my father taught me that if you do anything in life give it 100% or don’t attempt it. This advice has turned out to be my mantra in life. In my past campaigns I have given 100 percent win or lose. My first campaign was for J.P on the Bolivar Peninsula. Although my odds of winning were slim, Bolivar at that time being mostly Democratic, I ran for the position as a Republican. I went through a pair of Doc Martens walking door to door shaking hands and talking with Peninsula residents. I was present in front of the polls all during early election and election day from opening to closing. I gave the campaign my ALL.

The second attempt for public office was the run for County Commissioner Pct 1. Of course as you all remember that Pct was redistricted to the liking of our present Judge and the Commissioners. There were multiple changes to Pct 1, many indecisions as to what part of the County was Pct 1, but still I continued to campaign. Voters knew what I stood for, my vision for the County was summed up as P.I.T. The P was for the Panama Canal and our Ports, the I was for the Ike Dike and the T was for transportation and tourism. My past campaign was based on Economic Development. For the past 5 years I have touted Economic Development in Commissioner’s Court and in Workshops with the Court, to deaf ears. Now every politician in the County says their agenda is Economic Development. Again I made the mistake of running as a Republican.

In my third attempt at public office I was going to be YOUR Galveston County Judge. As YOUR candidate, my pledge to YOU was going to be a one term limit and a promise of a campaign with no post office mailers jamming your mail box, no phone calls disturbing your home life and no signs littering your highway.

This time I was hoping to be YOUR Independent Candidate (as it should be) for Judge. Meanwhile I guess God had other plans for me and my endeavor. As most people know I have been a small business owner on the Bolivar Peninsula for over thirty five years. The business was named Business of the Year by the Galveston County Small Business Development Center. A situation has come up that has simultaneously left me without two valued employees. Very important employees. Employees that are vital to the operation of our small business. Without them to help rn the business I am left with a job to do and it is not running a campaign, it is running a business. I know I am disappointing a lot of individuals and I feel I have let many people down. Voters were looking forward to a change, someone who is true to their word, someone who would be an independent thinker.

It is with deep regret and a heavy heart that I am sorry to say I will not be running as YOUR candidate for Galveston County Judge.

It is my only hope that whoever wins the election will pay attention to ALL of the County North and South and treat all equally and fair.