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Mon Jun 12, 2006 at 06:25 PM CDT
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(Today marks the long-awaited return of the 40/40. I finally found my interview with VaLinda, so I'll be finishing her 40/40 feature this week, and will also feature another one of our statewide candidates -- Hank Gilbert. Next week, check for Damon's features on Fred Head and David Van Os. - promoted by Phillip Martin)
If ever a candidate was qualified to be Commissioner of the General Land Office, it is VaLinda Hathcox. A quick look at her bio says it all: |
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- First woman to hold the position of Director of Governmental Relations and Programs with the Texas Attorney General, the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Association of Counties;
- First woman president of Austin Young Lawyers.
- Charter member of the Hopkins County Democratic Women, Travis County Democratic Women and Texas Democratic Women;
- Helped write some of the first alternative energy laws in Texas;
- Helped repeal Texas' inheritance tax
- While working with the Texas Association of Counties, was among the first to turn certain "unfunded mandates" into funded mandates at the county level;
- Under the guide of Jim Mattox, helped successfully move the state's CPS cases to the Attorney General's office; and
- In a wonderful deliverance of the symbolic, actually raises and protects buffalo, which is on the seal of the Land Commissioner's office.
I first met VaLinda at the TDP office, where we sat down and had a wonderful discussion about her background, the type of campaign she planned to run (and win), and her ambitions to serve the people of Texas. She has the sort of issue-oriented government experience that you want in a candidate, combined with a real sense of person-to-person communication.
VaLinda is running against current Republican incumbent, Jerry Patterson. To read more about her background, you may go here. |
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