An acquaintance of mine read a blog I posted about state Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, drawing an opponent in next March’s GOP primary.

She wants to know what I think of another race involving a Republican officeholder: U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry of Clarendon.

Well, here goes.

There can be no doubt that Elaine Hays, an Amarillo financial planner, thinks that Thornberry isn’t conservative enough. For the life of me I cannot understand that one.

Here is Hays’s “issues” page taken from her campaign website:

http://www.elainehaysforcongress.com/#!issues/cdbv

Hays is seeking to bounce Thornberry out of the office he’s held since 1995. I looked at the issues summaries posted and I am having trouble finding anything substantively different from what Thornberry has supported during his umpteen terms in Congress.

I must stipulate that I do not know Elaine Hays. She calls herself a “dedicated conservative,” a wife and mother. I am quite sure Thornberry sees himself as just as conservative as Hays and he’s a dedicated husband and father to boot.

Of the issues Hays has cited, I cannot fathom how her voting record would differ from the incumbent’s. Thornberry has voted for pro-life legislation; he’s opposed spending measures proposed by Democrats; he supports gun-owners rights; he’s called for more exploration of fossil fuels to achieve “energy independence”; he’s given the cold shoulder to immigration reform efforts and has spoken in favor of strengthening our borders.

These all are things Hays is saying.

What makes her different? I’m guessing she’s going to be even more forceful than Thornberry in pushing them. That’s about all I can figure.

That spells “tea party Republican” to me.

I didn’t think it was possible to run to the right of Mac Thornberry. I’m guessing Elaine Hays is going to prove me — and a lot of other observers — so very wrong.