I pretty much detest uncontested campaigns involving incumbents.

It’s not that I want to see incumbents defeated en masse. It’s that they should have to defend themselves, stand up and be accountable for the decisions they make.

At least one Panhandle legislator, Rep. David Swinford of Dumas, is going to have an opponent in 2010. That’s the word as of this moment. The Republican lawmaker might face Potter County Democratic Party Chairman Abel Bosquez, assuming Bosquez wins the Dems’ primary next spring.

Bully for the challenger!

Swinford is part of a three-wheeled juggernaut. The other two are Reps. John Smithee of Amarillo and Warren Chisum of Pampa. They usually run as a trio. I call them the Three Amigos. And they quite often all run unopposed. If any of them draws an opponent, it’s been Swinford in recent years. Smithee has been skating back to re-election every other year since I’ve been here; that’s since January 1995. He came close to drawing an opponent in 2008, but Democrat Jim Wood backed out, citing health reasons. Chisum is unbeatable and every wannabe politician in House District 88 knows it.

Bosquez should be able to hold Swinford’s feet to the fire.

But that assumes, of course, that Swinford will run again. He hasn’t yet declared his candidacy. Indeed, Bosquez only has said he intends to run.

And you know what they say about good intentions.