| This week, I'm going to work on a series of posts that begins a more in-depth conversation about the Texas House races that are being challenged this year. Keep checking back all week for more information.
Normally, when I see a list like the one below of Republicans that went unchallenged (thirty-two in total), I would expect to see a handful of missed opportunities. This year, though, Democrats are doing a great job going after the most vulnerable seats. As our reader trowaman wrote in a comment: The 17 most vulnerable Republicans before filing, we got candidates in 16 of them. Missed Hatnett in Dallas' 114. The Harris County candidates look to be of a superior quality so we might get some wins from them. If we hold our incumbents, gain Districts 52 and 96, two in Harris and one in Dallas, that's a flip on control in the state house. This is gonna be fun. His comment also gives a numbers breakdown for those 17 most vulnerable races -- feel free to go back and check it out.
That doesn't mean there aren't some races where I wished we had fielded some candidates, as well as some races where it's interesting no Republicans are in the primary. Here's my initial take on those unchallenged Republicans in the Texas House:
Anti-Craddick Republicans Unchallenged
Rep. Tommy Merritt, HD 7
Rep. Jim Pitts, HD 10
Rep. Burt Solomons, HD 65
Rep. Brian McCall, HD 66
Rep. Merritt has beaten back so much opposition in the Republican primary already, my guess is that no one in the community wanted to run a race they'd knew they would lose. Rep. Solomons, immediate past Chair of the House Rules and Resolutions Committee, is too strong in his district as well -- though I'm surprised he didn't get a challenger. He will most likely play an important role in shaping the rules of the Texas House come November 5, 2008 -- though that's putting the cart before a rather enormous horse.
Rep. Pitts and Rep. McCall were the two main opponents to Speaker Craddick in January of last year. Both are strong in their districts, and my guess is that any Republican primary opposition -- even a token candidate -- would be tied to Craddick. The Speaker just couldn't run anyone against these two and even pretend this election wasn't entire about his candidacy as Speaker.
Republican Candidates I Wish We Were Running Against
Most of these Members are -- numerically -- unbeatable in an immediate race. Which is why when and if we ever wanted to see them defeated, we would need to run several races against them.
Rep. Bryan Hughes, HD 5
Rep. Leo Berman, HD 6
Rep. Dennis Bonnen, HD 25
Rep. Geanie Morrison, HD 30
Rep. Ken Paxton, HD 70
Rep. Carl Isett, HD 84
Rep. Will Hartnett, HD 114
Rep. Bryan "radio-voice" Hughes went unchallenged in 2006, and he got off untouched against this cycle. Demcorat Bill Moody got 46.8% in his judicial race in Hughes' district, which means that a first-time run against Hughes should get within shouting range. He, along with Rep. Ken Paxton, spoke loud and long in defense of the tax plans that drained billions of general revenue away from real improvements in public education, health care, utility rates, etc. Democrats have a reason to speak loud and long that these two Reps. shouldn't return to the Legislature.
Rep. Leo Berman -- champion of the voter ID laws and one who never misses an opportunity to call a real person an alien -- is perhaps the Member with the most racist tendencies of any legislator. Tyler isn't as conservative as Rep. Berman, but he continues to win elections from there, and I've read Tyler editorials that praise nearby legislators Rep. Merritt and Rep. Hopson -- centrist legislators for their respective parties -- much more than they praise Rep. Berman. A moderate Republican, at least, would be a better fit for that district.
Rep. Will Hartnett -- rules expert and Craddick loyalist until the end -- is one of the biggest weasels in the House. Rep. Geanie Morrison allowed Speaker Craddick to run tuition deregulation through the Higher Education Committee. Rep. Carl Isett believes 100% in a competitive market, but only in the ways that promote the Republican agenda. I would expect that all three of these Members represent the conservative aspects of their very Republican districts -- but sometimes those are the areas where a minority voice is needed the most.
The list of the remaining unchallenged Republicans -- some of whom I think are good Members, some of whom I just know nothing about -- can be found below the fold. |
