State Rep. David Farabee’s political success over nearly 12 years proves a couple of things, among a multitude of others.

When it comes to electing someone to a relatively local position, even a county that dramatically leans one way ideologically will overlook a certain letter attached to this man’s name on the ballot.

And the second proof, that Farabee has been so well received and trusted through the years, that even a county that might as well vote straight-party ticket wouldn’t have dared for fear we’d lose one of our biggest champions in Austin, regardless of party.

In fact, Farabee has represented the interests of the 69th District so well, few people could even recall to which party he is affiliated. He epitomized the mantra, “It’s the man, not the party.” Perhaps the only time some folks realized Farabee’s party affiliation was back in May 2003, when a group of state Democrats fled Austin in the midst of a Republican-run redistricting bill aimed at ending the Democratic majority in the state’s U.S. House delegation.

Protesting that the Texas Legislature should focus on the education crisis, Austin used that time to redraw district lines. And 50 legislators refused to show up for work at the Capitol. Without at least 100 members, the House cannot conduct business.

Farabee and his fellow Democrats traveled out of state, to Ardmore, Okla., a bold and, some argued at the time, risky move.

The most common question upon hearing the news that Farabee was in Oklahoma, “David Farabee is a Democrat?”

Farabee took many a ribbing, among his Republican friends, at pancake festivals and county fairs, but no thumping in the polls. This was Farabee, for gosh sakes.

With Farabee, it was never about party but people. You always got the sense, even when he fled to Ardmore, that his decisions were based on what’s best for this district and the state of Texas at that particular moment. And in 2003, public educational funding was at a crossroads and was not being addressed.

When many of his fellow Democrats locally decided to switch parties, perhaps fearing a straight-party ticket result — a legitimate concern given the political atmosphere since 2003 — Farabee stood firm. That was, of course, the party of his father, who held the same seat for 13 years, one more than his son.

Farabee returns the favor when he enters the polling booth, telling the newspaper that he always votes for his father-in-law, Bill Presson, a Republican county commissioner.

It’s the man, not the party.

This particular man will be missed. We wish David well.