Kerrville Daily Times

Leander businessman and first-time office seeker Stephen Michael Schoppe announced that he will challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith for the Republican party nomination in the March primaries.

Schoppe, 34, is the co-founder and president of Process Sciences Inc., an electronic manufacturing service company. In making his announcement, Schoppe said he is running against Smith because he believes Smith is “out of touch” with his constituency.

“Unfortunately, Congressman Smith was on the wrong side of the people when he voted for the banker bailouts last fall,” Schoppe said. “Corporate welfare and bailouts are the antithesis of a free market. We have yet to realize the full damage these bailouts will have on our nations’ economy.”

The party primary elections are on March 2, and the first day of filing to appear on the ballot is Dec. 3. Schoppe is the first candidate to announce intentions to run against Smith.

Smith first was elected to the 21st Congressional District seat in 1987.

The heavily Republican district includes all of Kerr, Bandera, Kendall, Comal, Real and Blanco counties and portions of Bexar and Travis counties.

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Publisher: Mike Graxiola

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