{"id":165045,"date":"2026-02-14T22:02:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T22:02:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/165045\/"},"modified":"2026-02-14T22:02:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T22:02:15","slug":"sell-hopes-experience-working-with-combest-in-congress-emphasizing-work-on-farm-bill-will-sell-him-to-voters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/165045\/","title":{"rendered":"Sell hopes experience working with Combest in Congress (emphasizing work on Farm Bill) will sell him to voters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tom Sell thinks Lubbock, Abilene and the rest of District 19 are the \u201cbest of the American values.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s running in the March Republican Primary for the seat Jodey Arrington is vacating at the end of this term.<\/p>\n

Ongoing coverage:\u00a0Learn what\u2019s coming as Lubbock Lights kicks off Texas Primary \u201826 coverage<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI think what sets our district apart is \u2013 one \u2013 we are producers. But we\u2019re also blue-sky optimists \u2013 pushing through, working hard, even in what can be adverse circumstances,\u201d Sell said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was born in Lubbock. My parents both grew up around the Petersburg community,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy grandparents lived through the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl days \u2013 and so just ingrained with this West Texas heritage and toughness and grit,\u201d Sell said.<\/p>\n

The family moved to Amarillo in 1982 when Sell was age 10.<\/p>\n

\u201cI graduated high school at Tascosa in Amarillo \u2013 the Running Rebels. \u2026 Came back to Texas Tech and studied agricultural economics; met my wife on the first day of class. Took me a while to win her over, but I got that done,\u201d Sell said.<\/p>\n

His wife\u2019s mother came from Lockney and her dad from Lazbuddie \u2013 giving his family \u201cdeep roots all throughout this great 19th congressional district.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Sell\u2019s senior year, he was able to intern with Congressman Larry Combest.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt that time, Tech would have one intern in Washington, D.C., and I was fortunate. \u2026 That was in 1995 when Newt Gingrich and the Contract with America came into power \u2013 the first time that the Republicans had the majority in Congress in [40] years,\u201d Sell said.<\/p>\n

Combest had a talent for making things happen, according to Sell, and was chairman of the House Agriculture Committee overseeing major legislation like the Agricultural Risk Protection Act and 2002 Farm Bill.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was kind of a watershed farm bill that every farm bill since then has been built off of,\u201d Sell said.<\/p>\n

Combest retired before the end of his 10th term in 2003. That was a big change for Sell too.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to raise our family in West Texas. I went to Texas Tech Law School. We got two more kids while I was in law school, also started our business, Combest Sell and Associates, while I was in law school \u2013 really helping advise people on policy matters and serve as an advocate,\u201d Sell said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCombest, Sell & Associates was established in January of 2005, when Tom Sell was approached to re-engage Larry Combest, a former chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, to bring their particular talents back to the field in Washington,\u201d the company website said.<\/p>\n

Sell said, \u201cWe loved and we saw the nobility of the work in helping people \u2013 really emboldening them to use their voice in the U.S. Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sell and his wife raised their four kids in Lubbock, coached Little League, served on the Ranching Heritage Board, the Breedlove Board, and the Lubbock Water Commission.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been engaged in farming and ranching largely with my father, George Sell, who\u2019s 85. We run cattle and we do a little farming as well,\u201d Sell said.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Sell\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tSell hopes experience working with Combest in Congress (emphasizing work on Farm Bill) will sell him to voters<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 13, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Political\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tPolitical consultant Newton \u2018never expected to run for office,\u2019 but he seeks county\u2019s Precinct 2 seat with focus on budgeting<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 10, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Pounds\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tPounds now running for Precinct 2 commissioner to fund volunteer fire departments, fix roads, buildings<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 10, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Martin\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tMartin supports budget cuts, wants county government to be \u2018boring\u2019 again as he runs for Precinct 2 commissioner<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 10, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Rackler\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tRackler proud about stand on taxes, Expo Center \u2013 wants to continue representing people in county\u2019s Precinct 4<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 6, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Seay\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tSeay wants his old seat back as Precinct 4 commissioner \u2013 wants to make sure public safety is supported<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 6, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Former\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tFormer constable Peterson wants to return to county as Precinct 4 commissioner after navigating life\u2019s ups and downs<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 6, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Learn\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn what\u2019s coming as Lubbock Lights kicks off Texas Primary \u201826 coverage<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 3, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Parrish\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tParrish seeking third term as county judge, lists accomplishments but adds \u2018We\u2019ve got some more work to go\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 3, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Houck\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tHouck moved family back to Texas for way of life, now seeking office as county judge, saying leadership needed<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 3, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Priorities if elected<\/p>\n

Sell plans to stand strong for the farm and ranch community. He\u2019s also committed to a strong military defense but the topic he talked about most with LubbockLights.com was federal spending, he said.<\/p>\n

He pointed to a $38.7 trillion national debt, saying the federal government spends about $6.5 trillion but revenue is only $4.5 trillion.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not sustainable,\u201d Sell said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we need some more statesmen who will build unity, who will actively seek to win people over to their point of view,\u201d Sell said.<\/p>\n

He insists it can be done.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was up there in the Newt Gingrich era, and from that election in 1994 and the seating of the 104th Congress in 1995. We had a balanced budget in 2000,\u201d Sell said.<\/p>\n

Sell signed a term limits pledge, he said. He\u2019s friends with Arrington who will step down after 10 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would hope that the people of the 19th District could trust that in electing me, they\u2019re electing a man of integrity and character who will represent the best values of the people,\u201d Sell said. <\/p>\n


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