After Mr. Estes lost a local school board election the twice-a-week Pecos Independent and Enterprise began digging into his dealings, and its revelations were the beginning of Mr. Estes's downfall.

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In the school board election last June Mr Riordan drew on his own money and that of his circle of wealthy friends to back four candidates, one an existing board-member and the other three newcomers, with the aim of getting a majority who shared his impatience with the state of the schools.

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As easy and fun as it is to talk about morning TV ratings as a middle school student council election, how viewers feel toward Guthrie vs.

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