Lame-duck state Rep. David Swinford, R-Dumas, today endorsed Amarillo businessman Victor Leal in the Republican primary race to succeed him in House District 87. “Most importantly,” Swinford said in a statement, “I respectfully believe we don’t need another lawyer in the Legislature.”

Ouch!

The lawyer, in this case, is Amarillo resident Walter “Four” Price, who’s challenging Leal in the GOP primary. Leal is a restaurant owner. Swinford went on: “Having served almost 20 years in the Legislature, I know firsthand that we need more working people and business owners making decisions, not more lawyers.” Swinford said the Legislature “currently has close to 70 lawyers and only five restaurant owners.”

What? Lawyers don’t work? Aren’t their firms “businesses” under the definition of the term?

Might there be some enmity building among the GOP ranks?

Well, at least Swinford didn’t take the Shakespearean approach (“Henry VI”) and urge that “First, let’s kill all the lawyers.”