SMITH COUNTY, Texas — Voting for the Smith County Pct. 3 commissioner Republican primary runoff concludes with Election Day on Tuesday.
Incumbent Smith County Pct. 3 Commissioner Terry Phillips and challenger J. Scott Herod are facing off to determine who will be the Republican nominee in November.
During the March 5 primary election, Phillips received 31.92% of the vote, while Herod received 44.25% of the votes. Former Winona Mayor Rusty Smith received 23.83%, according to election results.
The runoff Election Day is May 28. Early voting began May 20 and concluded on May 24.
On May 28, voters can cast their ballot from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Clarkston Elementary (2915 Williamsburg Drive in Tyler), The Hub, Lindale Kinzie Community Center or Starrville Church of the Living God (18396 US Highway 271 in Winona).
Whoever comes out with the most votes will face Democratic challenger Edith Wilson in November.
Precinct 3 covers the entire northern half of Smith County, which includes cities Lindale, Winona, a portion of Overton and Tyler and Hideaway. It is the largest of the four Smith County commissioner precincts.
Phillips has served as Pct. 3 commissioner since January 2009. Prior to becoming commissioner, he worked well test analyst at Otis Engineering and later Getty Oil Company, which was purchased by Texaco. He continued at Texaco and began acquiring real estate. He continues managing properties presently, according to the Smith County website.
Members of his family have been involved in various legal issues.
On May 9, his wife Smith County Clerk Karen Phillips was convicted of interfering with her son Derek Phillips' arrest in March 2023. Her sentencing is set to begin June 14. She faces up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.
The charge of interfering with public duties stemmed from a March 28, 2023 traffic stop that began when her son Derek Phillips confronted the deputy conducting the stop for another man, Cody Voss’, tail lights being out.
In March, Derek Phillips was sentenced to 30 days in county jail and 18 months of probation with 100 community service hours for interfering with public duties and resisting arrest.
Terry Phillips' other son Lance Phillips has pending charges of hindering proceedings by disorderly conduct and assault of a judge or peace officer in connection with accusations of disrupting Smith County Commissioners Court meetings, according to judicial records.
Herod has co-owned Cut Beef, a local business that sells naturally pasture-raised beef in East Texas, since 2014. He previously worked in outside sales for Guardsmark, Inc., an international security firm. He then moved on to Bank of America, where he went from banking center manager to consumer market executive to senior vice president.
He left Bank of America in 2012 to become a co-owner of APEC (Athlete Performance Enhancement Center) in Tyler. He later sold his stake in 2014 to open and operate Cut Beef.