Before Ingrid Owens filed with the ethics commission in November 2005, my wife, state Rep. Juanita Head Walton, called her to discuss the problem with two blacks running in the 74th District in the August 2006 Democratic primary. Juanita explained that the only way for a black to win the election was that no more than one black person run for the seat at a time.
She further pointed out that a black candidate, Steve Webb, had received 47 percent of the vote against the incumbent, Tom George, in 2004, and that Steve was going to run again in 2006. She pointed out that George was term-limited but that he was running his son, Tony George. She then counseled that in an open district, even against a name similar to the incumbent’s, based on his performance in 2004, Steve should be able to win.
She further advised that since Ingrid had never run before, she would have to build a base of votes from scratch and thus could not win. Owens insisted on running anyway, and refused to attend any further meetings to discuss the issue. She came in dead last as predicted, with only 26 percent of the vote. Steve ended up with 36 percent of the vote to the white candidate, Tony George’s 38 percent.
In 2004, Ted Hoskins lined up with Tom George against Steve Webb. If you look at Owens’ campaign reports you will find contributions from Hoskins’ wife and BECO, of which Hoskins is president. Owens may not have been aware of the Hoskins-George connection, but nevertheless, she served as a pawn.
Elbert A. Walton Jr.
Via email