Changes

On March 4, 2014, Carnes was an unsuccessful [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate in the [[primary]] election for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture.

On March 4, 2014, Carnes was an unsuccessful [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate in the [[primary]] election for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture.

'''Background'''​

=='''Background'''==​

Carnes was reared on a ranch in Uvalde County and graduated in 1997 with a degree in Finance from the McCombs School of Business at the [[University of Texas at Austin|University of Texas]] at [[Austin]].<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://vote-tx.org/Intro.aspx?State=TX&Id=TXCarnesJAllen1|title=Biographical Profile for Jay Allen Carnes|publisher=vote-tx.org|accessdate=April 25, 2014}}</ref> Prior to his election as mayor, a nonpartisan position in Texas, he served from 2008 to 2012 on the Uvalde City Council. He has also been appointed to the Texas International Produce Association and the Texas Vegetable Association.<ref name=dallasnews>{{cite web|url=http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2013/08/uvalde-mayor-carnes-currently-exploring-agriculture-commissioner-race-to-make-announcement-sept-5.html/|title=David Barer, Uvalde Mayor Carnes, Currently Exploring Agriculture Commissioner Race, to Make Announcement Sept. 5|date=August 26, 2013|publisher=''Dallas Morning News''|accessdate=April 25, 2014}}</ref>​

Carnes was reared on a ranch in Uvalde County and graduated in 1997 with a degree in Finance from the McCombs School of Business at the [[University of Texas at Austin|University of Texas]] at [[Austin]].<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://vote-tx.org/Intro.aspx?State=TX&Id=TXCarnesJAllen1|title=Biographical Profile for Jay Allen Carnes|publisher=vote-tx.org|accessdate=April 25, 2014}}</ref> Prior to his election as mayor, a nonpartisan position in Texas, he served from 2008 to 2012 on the Uvalde City Council. He has also been appointed to the Texas International Produce Association and the Texas Vegetable Association.<ref name=dallasnews>{{cite web|url=http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2013/08/uvalde-mayor-carnes-currently-exploring-agriculture-commissioner-race-to-make-announcement-sept-5.html/|title=David Barer, Uvalde Mayor Carnes, Currently Exploring Agriculture Commissioner Race, to Make Announcement Sept. 5|date=August 26, 2013|publisher=''Dallas Morning News''|accessdate=April 25, 2014}}</ref>​

Carnes donated about $5,000 total to three Democrat members of the [[U.S. Congress]], including former  [[U.S. Representative]] Pete Gallego in the 23rd congressional district,a former state legislator from Alpine in Brewster County. In 2012, Gallego unseated freshman Republican Representative [[Francisco Canseco]], a conservative from [[San Antonio]]. Canseco then lost to [[Will Hurd]], a [[Moderate Republican]], in a runoff election for this same seat on May 27, 2014. Carnes contributed to Democrat U.S. Representative Henry Roberto Cuellar of [[Laredo]] in the 28th congressonal distrct and donated as well to Democratic former Representative [[Ciro Rodriguez]] of San Antonio, whom Gallego defeated in the 2012 Democratic primary. In 2004, when Carnes did not vote in either party's primary, Cuellar unseated Rodriguez for the Democratic nomination after a contested recount. Rodriguez subsequently returned in 2006 to claim the neighboring 23rd District, when he unseated the Republican Henry Bonilla of San Antonio. Carnes has also contributed $5,000 to several political action committees concerned with agriculture.<ref name=carnesquestionedaboutparty/>

Carnes donated about $5,000 total to three Democrat members of the [[U.S. Congress]], including former  [[U.S. Representative]] Pete Gallego in the 23rd congressional district,a former state legislator from Alpine in Brewster County. In 2012, Gallego unseated freshman Republican Representative [[Francisco Canseco]], a conservative from [[San Antonio]]. Canseco then lost to [[Will Hurd]], a [[Moderate Republican]], in a runoff election for this same seat on May 27, 2014. Carnes contributed to Democrat U.S. Representative Henry Roberto Cuellar of [[Laredo]] in the 28th congressonal distrct and donated as well to Democratic former Representative [[Ciro Rodriguez]] of San Antonio, whom Gallego defeated in the 2012 Democratic primary. In 2004, when Carnes did not vote in either party's primary, Cuellar unseated Rodriguez for the Democratic nomination after a contested recount. Rodriguez subsequently returned in 2006 to claim the neighboring 23rd District, when he unseated the Republican Henry Bonilla of San Antonio. Carnes has also contributed $5,000 to several political action committees concerned with agriculture.<ref name=carnesquestionedaboutparty/>

In 2012, Carnes voted for the first time in a Republican primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yct.org/with-exception-of-miller-ag-commission-race-full-of-liberals/|title=J. Allen Carnes|publisher=Young Conservatives of Texas|accessdate=April 25, 2014}}</ref>​

In 2012, Carnes voted for the first time in a Republican primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yct.org/with-exception-of-miller-ag-commission-race-full-of-liberals/|title=J. Allen Carnes|publisher=Young Conservatives of Texas|accessdate=April 25, 2014}}</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.<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Republican primary election returns, March 4, 2014.</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.<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Republican primary election returns, March 4, 2014.</ref>​