| Reps. Aaron Pena and Kino Flores are both absent from the house floor today despite the effect House Bills 218 (Voter ID) and 626 (Constitutional Voter Registration) could have in their overwhelmingly Latino commmunities.
It does look like that Rep. Pena attempted to influence the vote from afar by posting on his blog his remarks.
No reports as to how Kino Flores tried to swing some votes over to the D side on this issue. But I'm sure he at least attempted to, right? I mean, that's what the whole vote for Craddick was for, correct? To gain influence and key committee assignments so that Craddick Ds could better represent their district.
It also looks like neither one of them paired their vote with a Republican, which would have allowed Rep. Jim Dunnam's amendment to lower the age which senior citizens are exempt from House Bill 218 (Voter ID) from 80 to 65 to pass.
As it stands, that amendment failed 73-72. Pairing votes would've allowed that vote to pass 71-72. Or the two Representatives could have just shown up and done the people's business and the vote would have passed 73-74. |