Burnt Orange Report

Richard Morrison Wants you to Donate to Hubert Vo!

By Byron LaMasters

This appeared earlier in comments, but I got the email as well, so damn it, donate to Hubert Vo if you haven't already! Here's Richard Morrison's letter urging you to donate to Hubert Vo.

My Friend Hubert Vo Needs Your Help to Keep the House Seat He Already Won!

This year, for the first time in a genaration, Texas Democrats increased our numbers in the Texas House of Representatives. With Bush polling 62 percent at the top of the ticket, my good friend Hubert Vo knocked off a powerful incumbent by just 31 votes.

Now the GOP machine in Austin is trying to throw the contest in the state House, where their majority can vote to seat the loser. Please click here to help Hubert defray the legal expenses associated with the recount.

Hubert Vo won a stunning upset on Tuesday in his rookie race for State Representative, toppling Talmadge Heflin, the 22-year veteran and most powerful member of the Texas Legislature.

Hubert Vo came here 30 years ago from Vietnam because he had faith in our democratic system. He has worked hard and succeeded as a businessman and now as a first-time candidate.

His opponent, Talmadge Heflin, the powerful head of the Appropriations Committee, has not conceded and is threatening to contest the election in the Texas House of Representatives.

Here's more on the story from the Houston Chronicle:

A recount, however, is not a necessary prerequisite to contest the election. Heflin has until Dec. 8 to do that. The election would then be thrown to the House of Representatives, which could either seat Vo or overturn the election and require a new vote.

There have been several contested elections in the Texas House in recent years, but none has reversed the outcome. Most were withdrawn.

Buck Wood, one of several lawyers observing the Harris County vote canvass on Vo's behalf, said Heflin's case posed a potential public relations "nightmare" for Republicans.

With an 87-62 Republican majority (excluding the contested seat) in the House, partisanship could become a factor.

"This House has shown itself to be as partisan as any I've ever seen," Wood said.

This is the same extremely partisan House of Representatives that passed Tom DeLay's redistricting plan in 2003. Please don't let them steal this election from Hubert Vo. Click here to contribute.

Thanks again,
Richard Morrison