While The Statesman reported in the March 20 Yesteryear, 10 years ago that Republican Sam Zakhem said he was running for Republican National Committeeman, in part, because he objected to a letter sent out by former U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer taking fellow Republican state Rep. Ramey Johnson to task over a vote against school vouchers, the letter didn’t urge voters to opt for Johnson’s Democratic opponent. The letter, in the form of a petition, was sent by a nonprofit organization advocating for school choice and didn’t suggest a vote for or against anyone, Schaffer pointed out this week to The Statesman. He acknowledged, however, that it certainly didn’t cast Johnson in a flattering light. For her part, Johnson maintains that the letter – sent to House District 23 Republicans just 10 days before the 2004 election – cost her plenty of votes and tipped the scales to Democratic challenger Gwen Green, who went on to win by only a few dozen votes. “Sam Zakhem was my hero,” Johnson told The Statesman this week, recalling that he was the only Republican to stand publicly against the attack.