Dan Grant Launches Exploratory Committee for CD-25

by: Katherine Haenschen

Thu Oct 20, 2011 at 04:24 PM CDT

The current CD-25, which may be changed by the federal courts. See the current maps here.

Dan Grant previously ran for CD-10 in 2008, and has remained highly active and visible since then, while also continuing to work as a consultant and advisor to the U.S. State and Defense Departments. Grant trains American civilian and military personnel bound for Iraq and Afghanistan, and received a commendation from the State Department in 2009 for his service during the Afghan Presidential election.

Grant enters the race with a long list of notable endorsements from local leaders. Listed on the release materials are Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Austin City Council Member Mike Martinez, State Representative Mark Strama, State Representative Donna Howard, State Representative Elliott Naishtat, and Travis County Constable Bruce Elfant. Also offering support are past candidates Larry Joe Doherty and Jack McDonald, who campaigned previously in the CD-10 district that Grant also contended in 2008.

It's unclear what shape CD-25 will take once the federal Courts repair Rick Perry and the Texas Republican Party's partisan gerrymander. Currently, the courts are preparing interim maps to make sure the primaries stay on schedule; the interim maps will be used for the primaries if the federal court is unable to clear the current map passed by the Legislature in time. NB: the Justice Department has stated that they believe the Legislature's current map is unconstitutional and violates the Voting Rights Act.

However, Grant's announcement and strong list of early supporters suggest that if this remains a swing district, he will be an extremely formidable opponent in both a primary and a general election environment.

The full statement from Grant is below the jump.  

Grant Launches Exploratory Bid For Congress With Support From Local Elected Officials

AUSTIN - Dan Grant, an Austin foreign policy expert and consultant Thursday launched an exploratory campaign for Texas' 25th Congressional District, backed by a number of area political leaders, including Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell and Travis County Constable Bruce Elfant.

"The people of Texas are facing a range of difficulties - unemployment, higher health care costs, threats to Medicare and Social Security, and more", Grant said. "The people of Texas need help now - Washington has broken down," he continued.

Grant's extensive international affairs experience, his connection to the people of Central Texas, his understanding of the issues, and his personal history in the area prompted Austin City Council members, members of the Texas State Legislature, and others to support his exploratory campaign. The list of supporters also includes Austin City Council Member Mike Martinez, State Representatives Donna Howard, Mark Strama and Elliott Naishtat, 2008 Congressional candidate Larry Joe Doherty and 2010 Congressional candidate Jack McDonald.

Grant said he felt compelled to explore a run for Congress because the people of Central Texas need a Congressman who will look out for their best interests.

"Many of the counties in the new District 25 have been without the benefit of a member of Congress who is willing to put the best interests of the citizens of this district above partisan politics," Grant said. "We must do more to create jobs, care for our veterans and seniors, and ensure affordable healthcare for Texans," he continued.

Grant has spent much of the last decade working to bring stability to the Middle East, and won a commendation from the State Department for his efforts in Afghanistan in 2009. He served as deputy director of Iraq's largest out-of-country voting program and oversaw an unprecedented effort to give democracy a chance in the Middle East by registering eligible voters in major U.S. Cities for Iraq's Transitional National Assembly election. In Afghanistan, he helped coordinate security and policy planning for the country's post-Taliban constitutional convention on behalf of the US government.