The issue: An opponent has challenged District 4 Commissioner Clifford Hunter’s candidacy as a Democrat.

Our position: The rules are the rules.

Rules keep order.

We have them for everything – rules of the road, rules for conducting meetings, rules of the games.

Even in the wildest and wooliest of games, politics, some rules must be followed. This is recognized by both major parties.

Here in Alabama, there is the Radney Rule. It’s named for its creator, Tom Radney of Alexander City. Here’s the rule:

No person shall be permitted to qualify as a candidate for nomination or election to public or party office in said primary elections who did not support the nominees of the Democratic Party in the last general election. any elected public official who attained office as a nominee of the Democratic Party, and any person who is a member of the State Democratic Executive Committee shall not be permitted to qualify as a candidate for public or party office in said primary elections if, while holding such public office, he or she did not support the nominees of the Democratic Party in the last general election.

The chairman of the Dallas County Democratic Executive Committee, James Perkins Jr., has rightly called for a hearing at 5 p.m. Friday in the Dallas County Commission Courtroom in the Courthouse Annex.

We do not presume to know all the facts concerning the challenge. Larry Nickles, who brought the challenge to the local party’s attention, couldn’t be reached to talk about the issue.

Hunter has declined to tell his side of the story.

If the committee appointed by Perkins finds that Hunter has violated the rule, the commissioner should withdraw from the race without further ado.

On the other hand, if the committee finds that Hunter did not violate the rule, then Nickles and Hunter should have a clean race.

Rules are important in this game of politics. The players should realize that up front.