Nancy Tanner reminded us today of something that seems to have slipped under the radar.

She made history by becoming, pending the election this November, Potter County’s first female county judge. I have to take pains to avoid getting ahead of myself. Tanner at this point only is the Republican nominee to be county judge. Her election is uncontested, as there are no Democrats on the ballot. I doubt seriously anyone will emerge as a write-in candidate, so her election is virtually assured.

One of the foes she vanquished Tuesday happened to be another history-maker, Debra McCartt, who had been elected as the first female mayor of Amarillo. McCartt sought to parlay that name-recognition into the county judge’s office, but fell short, finishing third in the five-candidate field.

It’s not yet clear how Tanner’s gender will determine the way she runs the Commissioners Court. Heck, I’m not convinced her gender even really matters.

She’ll be serving with four capable individuals on the court, three men and one woman. Two commissioners are Republicans, two are Democrats.

The most interesting relationship on the court could be the one that develops between the two women who serve the county, Tanner and Precinct 2 Commissioner Mercy Murguia.

One of the cautionary tales being bandied about in the weeks leading up to the primary was how the new judge might be able to work with Murguia, who’s become a force of nature on the court. She has become an aggressive questioner of department heads and others who come before commissioners, which can be a good development for the court if the questions are constructive and produce changes when needed.

Tanner strikes me as someone who can be a no-nonsense administrator. Her gender should have no bearing on how she runs the county as its only Commissioners Court member elected countywide.

Then again, she’s entering what traditionally has been a man’s world. One of the things I’ve learned about the Texas Panhandle in more than 19 years living here is that some traditions have a way of hanging on.

I’m betting — and certainly hoping — that Tanner’s history-making election will make way for an equally historic county judgeship.