By John Kanelis / johnkanelis_92@hotmail.com

Ginger Nelson has been elected and re-elected mayor of Amarillo, Texas, as a non-partisan public official. In her capacity as mayor, she officially belongs to no political party.

Which brings me to this point: What in the name of political sanity is the city’s non-partisan mayor throwing her arms around the likes of some of the most partisan Republicans on the national stage today?

The New Mexico Republican Party moved its annual conference to Amarillo because the party doesn’t like New Mexico’s continuing COVID pandemic restrictions. They came to Amarillo to sing the praises of the disgraced Donald Trump and to whoop and holler at the likes of South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and the Panhandle’s Rep. Ronny Jackson, all of whom have served as Trump suck-ups and sycophants.

She could have just welcomed the New Mexico GOP to the city she governs, encouraged them to spend some dough and revel in the sights and sounds of the Texas Panhandle.

Then Nelson posted this on Facebook: Conservative ideals are good for our city, our states and our nation. We live those ideals everyday in Amarillo, and I’m glad that Amarillo is participating in the national political dialogue about what is best for our families, our businesses, our cities and our nation.

Conservative ideals? Really, Mme. Mayor? Sure thing. What about conspiracy notions about “stolen elections” and “rampant voter fraud,” which are two of the idiotic propositions being promoted by the folks with whom Nelson is proud to hobnob at the NM GOP conference?

My goodness. This is profoundly disappointing to me. I barely know Ginger Nelson; I have had precisely one brief conversation with her. I supported her election and re-election as mayor because of her economic vision for the city.

I didn’t give a damn about about her political leanings. She serves as mayor with no regard to partisanship. I do give a damn now because she has embraced the political toxicity these GOP wackos have brought to Amarillo.

Very disappointing, Mme. Mayor.