Burnt Orange Report

HOW CAN YOU BE PROUD OF GONZO?????

He's been a joke of a legislator for a long time, but I've held my nose for him for the last time. I will NEVER vote for him again and I will actively campaign against him in 2006. If that means supporting an R, so be it. Gonzo screwed over everyone in the city he is supposed to be representing.

Por la raza, todo, por la ciudad, nada, I suppose.

He is scum.

Relax, I just wrote that I strongly support Lloyd Doggett in this race and I'll do what I can to help him. As for Gonzalo, I think that his voting record represents Austin well. I generally don't hold grudges against people for who they endorse in Democratic primaries. I disagree with Gonzalo on this endorsement, and I think he's selling out Austin, but I know that he'll still be a strong fighter for us on the senate floor.

He has been ineffective for years and a bit of a joke, really. In any event, this is an unacceptable action on his part; why would you EVER support him after this????

Byron is right. We can't hold grudges against people simply becuse of who they endorse in a primary. As for Barrientos being "ineffective", well...stopping redistricting in its tracks with a surprise quorum break is about as effective as you can get in a state with this many Republicans. I don't even believe that Barrientos is "selling out Austin." Why would he do that, after fighting so hard to keep Doggett's district intact?

He didn't have to make any endorsement at all. He obviously listened his conscience, and came to a conclusion about who he thinks will best represent what is now an incredibly diverse district.

"Selling out Austin"? Not likely. In fact, close to impossible. Whoever wins this district will soon realize that they cannot ignore one entire end of it and expect to win re-election. During the course of this campaign, Leticia Hinojosa is going to have to work hard to demonsrate her responsiveness to the Austin area, and Lloyd Doggett is going to have to show himself to be responsive to the concerns of the Valley.

Perhaps we should start to think of this in terms of the new 25th District, instead of "What's in it for me?/What's in it for Austin/What's in it for the Valley?"

This may not be the district Barrientos fought for, and it may not be the one we wanted, but (barring relief from the Supreme Court) it's what we have to live with.

I am a native of the border region and a current resident of Austin. I noticed in Quorum Report that State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, who has family in the Valley, has not issued an endorsement in the 25th District Race.

I'm sure that Rodriguez, like myself, has some kind of awareness of the daunting issues that will be facing both regions in the coming years.

I haven't decided who I'm going to support in this race. Right now, I'd say I'm leaning toward Doggett because of his track record, but I'll have to listen to both candidates and see who presents the best vision for the district and its inhabitants.

Unlike you, I have no dual loyalties. I want a rep based in Austin. Full Stop. Barrientos represents Austin, not the Valley. He should be looking out for us, not the Valley. That simple, really.

Also one has to remember that the Hidalgo County already has a Congressman who lives there, Ruben Hinojosa. It is absurd that Hidalgo County (population ca. 575,000) should have 2 hometown Congressmen, when Travis County (population ca. 825,000) has none.

In addition, Dogget is truly an outstanding Representative (everyone says there Rep. is great, and he is not mine, so this is unbiased). He is a brilliant parlementarian, who from his freshman year was recruited into a team of procedural whizzes to be a braintrust to use procedural means thwart GOP legislation. He would be sorely missed to a novice who is running on a cynical message of vote for me because of my race.

Travis County Democrats know better and I suspect will come out in droves for Doggett. Doggett will be much better able to penetrate Hidalgo County than vice versa. Dogget will return to Congress and Delay will have lost that goal. (If only Martin can pull one off and send Pete Sessions home too).

YES, YOU got it!! "He would be sorely missed to a novice who is running on a cynical message of vote for me because of my race." ---My thoughts exactly. Lets look at the qualifications of the candidate instead. Lloyd Dogget has put up a great fight in congress against the GOP, and now they are trying to screw him, along with over 50% of the American people. SO lets not vote based on "minority issues"---Lets stand together and vote on AMERICAN issues!!