Limestone County has come a long way in a short time.

Take the recent announcement of the $1.6 billion Toyota-Mazda plant. Of all the places in the world those companies could have chosen, they selected Limestone County – that decision speaks volumes for our community.

We have top-notch public and private schools and lauded programs aimed at giving students a world-class education. We have two highly-regarded and affordable two-year schools with Calhoun Community College and Athens State University.

We have easy access to interstate, rail travel and airports. Our rivers, lakes, streams and recreation facilities provide us sporting outlets or relaxation.

We have affordable homes and low taxes. We have a hospital and access to a variety of health care specialists.

We have forward-thinking elected officials who want to see our community continue to thrive.

That being said, we’re scratching our heads over the decision by the Limestone County Republican Executive Committee (LCREC) to block Jason White from the June 5 primary ballot.

White, a former Athens police officer, previously ran for sheriff in 2002 as a Republican. He lost in the primary election. Democratic Sheriff Mike Blakely, who has been in office since 1982, won that year.

For the record, White is an openly gay man. However, despite claims by White that his lifestyle played a role in the party’s decision, LCREC Chairman Noah Wahl said White was prevented from running for sheriff on the Republican ballot because he “is not a Republican” – not because he is gay.

The LCREC also points to the fact that White being fired from the Athens Police Department for a violation of department policy as another factor in its decision.

No doubt, White may be a problem for the local Republican Party. The party’s reasons for keeping him off the ballot become murkier when you consider – for the first time – the LCREC asked candidates to complete a questionnaire with qualifying paperwork.

Many of the questions are standard issue Republican principles. Other questions, however, are of a broader nature more befitting of a Supreme Court justice rather than a sheriff.

Does a person’s view on the “traditional definition of marriage” matter if someone is breaking into your home and you call 911? What about a potential candidate’s belief on Planned Parenthood or being committed to protect life of all ages? Those three questions are on the questionnaire.

Also, things seem a bit more complicated for White who endured an in-person interview where his sexual orientation, the firing and who he voted for in the last presidential election were discussed.

Do any of those issues make White less qualified for the office he seeks? Considering the fact he’s a former police officer with 22 years of law enforcement experience who now runs a private security firm, we’d say his law enforcement credentials make him qualified.

Although we respect the right for a political party to make its guidelines, it’s still concerning that a local political group is gauging its support based on how a candidate views social or moral issues.

We must also ponder one other possible impact of the LCREC decision.

With the recent Toyota-Mazda site announcement and the 4,000 new jobs, the eyes of the world are on Limestone County.

The message the LCREC is sending to outsiders portrays our community in a negative light. In today’s constantly-changing work environment, companies welcome workforce diversity – discrimination of any kind is not accepted.

There’s potential White’s story, which was reported by local, regional and national media outlets this week, is raising concerns outside of Limestone County.

It’s our hope, especially with Alabama still closing the door on the colossal embarrassment of Republican Roy Moore’s senate campaign, that the LCREC’s decision to keep White off the party’s primary ballot does not have future negative consequences extending well beyond political boundaries.