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Carnes began his campaign for agriculture commissioner with $89,000, the smallest amount of the five Republican candidates who sought the position.<ref name=dallasnews/> Carnes' opponents challenged his actual commitment to the Republican Party. Carnes voted in the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] primaries in 2008 and 2010, as well as 2000, although he disputes that contention. He said that he backed Democrats in local races for [[sheriff]] and county judge in which no Republicans were seeking those offices in Uvalde County. Carnes said that his backing for these Democrats and political contributions to other Democrats was tied directly to agriculture issues.

Carnes began his campaign for agriculture commissioner with $89,000, the smallest amount of the five Republican candidates who sought the position.<ref name=dallasnews/> Carnes' opponents challenged his actual commitment to the Republican Party. Carnes voted in the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] primaries in 2008 and 2010, as well as 2000, although he disputes that contention. He said that he backed Democrats in local races for [[sheriff]] and county judge in which no Republicans were seeking those offices in Uvalde County. Carnes said that his backing for these Democrats and political contributions to other Democrats was tied directly to agriculture issues.

Under Texas election law, one is automatically a "member" of the political party in whose primary and/or runoff election he participates. Only Democrats and Republicans in Texas hold primaries. He remains a "member" of that party for two years until the next regular primary or runoff. The only way he can "change" his party is to wait two years, then skip a primary and become an "unaffiliated" voter or to vote in the other party's primary and in effect "change" his partisan registration. He cannot switch from one party's primary and vote in the other party's immediate runoff election.<ref>Lyle C. Brown et al, ''Practicing Texas Politics'', 13th ed. (Houghton Mifflin, 2008), pp. 192–195.</ref>​

Under Texas election law, one is automatically a "member" of the political party in whose primary and/or runoff election he participates. Only Democrats and Republicans in Texas hold primaries. He remains a "member" of that party for two years until the next regular primary or runoff. The only way he can "change" his party is to wait two years, then skip a primary and become an "unaffiliated" voter or to vote in the other party's primary and in effect "change" his partisan registration. He cannot switch from one party's primary and vote in the other party's immediate runoff election.<ref>Lyle C. Brown et al, ''Practicing Texas Politics'', 13th ed. (Houghton Mifflin, 2008), pp. 192–195.</ref>​

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A spokesman for  [[Sid Miller]], the winner of the runoff for agriculture commissioner held on May 27, 2014, questioned the role of Janey Briscoe Marmion, the treasurer of the Carnes campaign and a daughter of the late Democratic [[Governor]] Dolph Briscoe, also of Uvalde. It was subsequently found that Marmion has given to Republicans five times the amount that she donated to Democrats. Carnes too questioned certain actions of Miller's treasurer, the controversial rock singer [[Ted Nugent]].<ref name=carnesquestionedaboutparty/>​

A spokesman for  [[Sid Miller]], the winner of the runoff for agriculture commissioner held on May 27, 2014, questioned the role of Janey Briscoe Marmion, the treasurer of the Carnes campaign and a daughter of the late Democratic [[Governor]] Dolph Briscoe, also of Uvalde. It was subsequently found that Marmion has given to Republicans five times the amount that she donated to Democrats. Carnes too questioned certain actions of Miller's treasurer, the controversial rock singer [[Ted Nugent]].<ref name=carnesquestionedaboutparty/>​

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Carnes avoided [[conservative]] rhetoric in his race for agriculture commissioner.<ref name=tobserver/> He won the endorsement of [[baseball]] icon Nolan Ryan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/12/tx-j-carnes-for-texas-idUSnBw125933a+100+BSW20140212|title=Nolan Ryan Endorses J Allen Carnes for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, February 12, 2014|publisher=reuters.com|accessdate=April 25, 2014}}</ref>Ryan's help made little difference, for Carnes finished last in the primary. With 410,273 (34.6 percent) of the ballots cast, Miller led the primary field and then in the runoff contest defeated the runner-up, Tommy Merritt, a former state representative from Longview. The incumbent commissioner, Douglas Todd Staples, vacated the position because he ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in the Republican primary. The three losing primary candidates, Eric Opiela, the former executive director of the Texas Republican Party from Karnes City, Joe Cotton of Frisco, and Carnes, held a combined 44 percent of the vote, critical to the outcome of the runoff depending on turnout. Carnes polled 148,222 votes (12.4 percent) in the primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |title=Republican primary election returns, March 4, 2014 |publisher=team1.sos.state.tx.us |accessdate=April 25, 2014 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061108172637/http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |archivedate=November 8, 2006 }}</ref>​

Carnes avoided conservative rhetoric in his race for agriculture commissioner.<ref name=tobserver/> He won the endorsement of [[baseball]] icon Nolan Ryan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/12/tx-j-carnes-for-texas-idUSnBw125933a+100+BSW20140212|title=Nolan Ryan Endorses J Allen Carnes for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, February 12, 2014|publisher=reuters.com|accessdate=April 25, 2014}}</ref>Ryan's help made little difference, for Carnes finished last in the primary. With 410,273 (34.6 percent) of the ballots cast, Miller led the primary field and then in the runoff contest defeated the runner-up, Tommy Merritt, a former state representative from Longview. The incumbent commissioner, Douglas Todd Staples, vacated the position because he ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in the Republican primary. The three losing primary candidates, Eric Opiela, the former executive director of the Texas Republican Party from Karnes City, Joe Cotton of Frisco, and Carnes, held a combined 44 percent of the vote, critical to the outcome of the runoff depending on turnout. Carnes polled 148,222 votes (12.4 percent) in the primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |title=Republican primary election returns, March 4, 2014 |publisher=team1.sos.state.tx.us |accessdate=April 25, 2014 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061108172637/http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe |archivedate=November 8, 2006 }}</ref>​

==References==

==References==