There’s a debate swirling in Texas Panhandle political circles about whether a conspiracy is afoot in the race for Kel Seliger’s State Senate seat.
Asthe Amarillo Globe-News notes, some in Seliger’s camp believe that Amarillo restaurateur Victor Leal has only entered the race to split the Amarillo vote, so that the third candidate in the race—former Midland mayor Mike Canon—can stroll to victory. Under this theory, Leal isn’t interested in actually winning, but only in acting as a spoiler for Seliger.
For his part, Kel Seliger has called the conspiracy “an absolute fact.” Meanwhile, Victor Leal vehemently denies the rumor, calling the idea “absurd” and “insulting.” Leal noted that he’s been campaigning for 18 hours a day. The conspiracy theory left Globe-News editorialist Dave Henry to openly wonder what Leal would have to gain from such a scheme. “You got me,” Henry concluded.