A career in politics began for a young man in 1960. Back in 1960, a young farmer decided he’d run for position as state representative of Curry County, the job held by Frank Foster. Now right there you have to admire this farmer for his courage — Foster was like an institution. He was at one time the superintendent of our county schools and a popular man. Did I tell you Foster was a staunch Democrat? And did I tell you that Hoyt Pattison, the young farmer, was a Republican? Hoyt didn’t want to run all by himself so he went for advice to one of the few men who claimed to be a Republican, Bill Duckworth, who was lieutenant governor of New Mexico back in 1922, and a staunch Clovisite. “I’d run if you get up a full slate of candidates to run with us,” Duckworth said. Now that presented a problem for Hoyt. A common joke was that there were only two Republicans in the county: Duckworth and George Davis — and that they usually held their county conventions in a phone booth. So Hoyt’s first job was trying to find more Republicans. The second job was talking them into an impossible job. Hoyt persisted though and knew that according to the courthouse figures that there were 1,925 Republicans in Curry County, as opposed to 11,099 Democrats and one voter was registered a Prohibitionist. Believe it or not, Hoyt just about got a full slate of candidates: n Duckworth would run for the senate; n James Taft Turner would run for state representative; n Joe W. Patterson for sheriff; n Bea Sandoval for county clerk; n H.A. Stover for county treasurer; n Evelyn Wagner for tax assessor; n Ned Houk for probate judge; n and Leroy Hunton and Lloyd Grau for county commissioners. Hoyt even got his stepmother, Luciester Pattison, to run for the state school board. A few days before filing date, Patterson said he had to back out of running for sheriff. Hoyt caught me at the drugstore at Fourth and Main and told me about the problem — and asked if I’d met with him and Esther Smith at her law office to commit myself to run for sheriff. Duty to my friend, party and county overshadowed my reluctance, inexperience and stupidity. So I said, “why not?”— at the last minute Patterson said he could run after all. Come election day, Nov. 8, 1960, and after all votes were counted, there was “no joy in Mudsville.” Only one candidate on the Republican ticket won, and that was Bill Duckworth. Hoyt had lost his first race. But Hoyt didn’t give up. In 1962 Hoyt ran again and this time won. Now Curry County had two Republicans in the New Mexico Legislature, and in the following elections the Republicans gained seats. The Republicans continued to gain seats in the Legislature and hold on to them. Now the votes between the Democrats and Republicans are about even in Clovis and Curry County. In 1984, Hoyt had by then been in the Legislature as a state representative for 22 years. He continued to add years to his tenure. He retired a few years ago and became one of the state’s longest serving representatives. He continues work in the Legislature as a voice the representatives and senators listen to. He should be running for governor. Hoyt and I were natives of Claud. He is still a farmer and his home is just a half mile from where he grew up. You just got to keep going, never lagging behind, and be determined to win. Hoyt does that. Oh, I forgot. His wife, Joy, is his strength. Don McAlavy is Curry County’s historian. He can be contacted at: dmcalavy@telescopelab.com