Burnt Orange Report

Martin Frost Interview

By Byron LaMasters

A lot of candidates and elected officials have reached out to the blogs over the past year, but few have been in government as long as Martin Frost. It's refreshing to see someone who has been inside the beltway for so long to reach out to the blog community, not only with BlogAds, but also by interacting with individual bloggers. As two of the more widely read Texas Democratic bloggers, their campaign asked Charles Kuffner and I if we would be interested in submitting questions to Congressman Frost about his race that might be of interest to our readers. Both of us took up the opportunity.

Martin Frost was elected to Congress in 1978 after defeating a conservative Democratic with a diverse multiracial coalition. He has represented various parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex over the past 25 years, but he was targeted in redistricting, and is now running for reelection in a seat centered in North Dallas against Republican Pete Sessions. It's a tough race for Frost, but many national analysts consider this contest one of the top congressional races nationwide. I would encourage you to check out Charles's questions as well. While I tended to focus on questions regarding his specific race and Texas politics, Charles had some interesting questions on National issues. Finally, I would be remiss not to encourage everyone to learn more about Martin Frost and / or donate to his campaign through his webpage. Anyway, without any further ado, here's the interview (BL = Byron L., MF = Congressman Frost):

BL: Congressman Frost, you've served the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex in Congress for 13 terms. Could you tell us about your priorities during your time in Congress, and how you've benefited your constituents?

MF: My fundamental goal during my time in Congress has been to improve the quality of life for my constituents. We've created jobs by keeping Vought in the area, resolving the American Airlines labor/management dispute and developing the Pinnacle Park area off of I-30. Our neighborhoods are safer because of important legislation like the Amber Alert, and because we've invested in putting more police on the street. I've also worked to save healthcare benefits for defense retirees and am committed to making healthcare more affordable.

BL: A lot of Texas Democrats are having trouble staying motivated. We haven't won a statewide race since 1994, Republicans control all branches of government, and now our communities are chopped up through redistricting. What will it take for Democrats to start winning in Texas again?

MF: A. I'm a baseball fan, so I will answer this with a baseball analogy. We cannot afford to swing wildly at every pitch hoping for a homerun. We need to pick our pitches carefully, hit singles and doubles and run bases aggressively. It is not realistic to think that George Bush won't carry his home state of Texas, and an enormous amount of time and resources could be wasted in that effort. But, there are five highly competitive congressional races in play and over a dozen state house races. Winning these key congressional and state house races will strike a major blow to Tom DeLay and the most extreme elements of the Republican Party and will set the stage for Texas fielding and electing statewide office holders in 2006 or 2010. Mainstream Democrats more accurately reflect the view of average Texans. We must win these highly competitive congressional and state house races to give voice to mainstream Democratic points of view.

BL: Both Wes Clark and Howard Dean energized a lot of new people into the party through Meetups and other community events. How can we keep those new people in the Democratic Party and ensure that they'll be just as motivated to work for your campaign and other Democrats this fall?

MF: I intend to reach out to as many of these new activists as I can and bring them into my campaign. These are capable and articulate people who can bring enormous energy to precinct organization and can make the difference in a close race.

BL: Do you read blogs? How can Democratic bloggers and blog readers help the Democratic Party, and what do you think the party leadership can learn (or has learned) from bloggers?

MF: I have to admit that blogs and the exchange of political information Online is new to me, and I'm learning. But, it is clear that a whole new dimension of political communication has evolved, and keeping up with and participating in it is absolutely necessary to stay in touch with public concerns.

BL: Bloggers and Blog readers have been hit up recently by dozens of candidates using BlogAds and other Ad services targeting us. Why should bloggers and blog readers donate to your campaign as opposed to any other?

MF: There are many worthwhile campaign and political efforts that deserve financial support, but I can honestly say that no congressional race in the country better reflects the efforts of Tom DeLay and the most extreme elements in national politics challenging the will of local voters to determine who represents them in Congress. National publications are already calling this the "most competitive race in the country", and they are right. I have served in Congress for 26 years and have been a proud advocate of local concerns and local interests in North Texas. I've been willing to stand up to the leadership of both parties to protect the interests of my constituents. My opponent has distinguished himself only to the degree in which he has been willing to ignore local concerns to follow the direction of Tom DeLay and those like him.

BL: How do you intend to involve the grassroots in your campaign? What can people in your district, or people in Dallas that may not be able to contribute money to your campaign do to help?

MF: We will have a ground organization in every neighborhood and every precinct. This campaign will be built on grassroots activity. Whether is volunteering in the office, phoning your neighbors or hitting the streets to knock on doors and register voters everyone has a role to play in helping us win this race.

BL: Tom DeLay and the Republican leaders in Austin targeted you from day one of the redistricting fight, and cut up the compact, majority-minority district 24 into about five or six districts. Why do you think that you were targeted, and what does it say about the Republican leadership when they split up the minority communities in Oak Cliff, south Dallas, Arlington and southeast Fort Worth?

MF: I have been an effective advocate for voters and have been willing to stand up to Tom DeLay when others ignored his extremism or actively avoided it. Tom DeLay fears independent thinkers and fighters. I am both.

BL: You had several choices when deciding where to file to run for reelection. Why did you ultimately choose to run in District 32?

MF: The 32nd District includes North Oak Cliff which has been my home for almost all of the last 30 years. It includes South Irving, which I represented in Congress for 14 years. And, it includes areas in N. Dallas where I have friends, family members and long-time supporters. The District is diverse, including a true cross section of Dallas, with Hispanic, African American, upper income, middle income and some lower income areas. Clearly this is a district in which I can build a winning coalition of civic-minded people with mainstream sensibilities who want an effective advocate in Washington and not a partisan ideologue.

BL: On paper, the 32nd district has a distinct Republican lean, but Congressional Quarterly recently upgraded your chances, and National Journal has called the TX-32 race one of the "most competitive in the nation." While District 32 was drawn to elect a Republican, respected analysts in Washington, and here in Texas seem to give you a pretty good chance. Why do you think that is?

MF: I have a proven record of coalition building. I run strong grassroots campaign that will include neighborhoods and voting blocks that have not been included in other campaigns. And, with the help of your readers and many others, I will raise the funds necessary to compete with the money DeLay and others will funnel to my opponent.

BL: One of the statistics you've noted is that district 32 is 50% minority, but many of the minority voters in the district have not voted in recent elections. What effort are you making to turn out minorities, especially Hispanics in district 32 in November?

MF: First, I have a strong Hispanic voting record, having supported issues that are of importance to the Hispanic community. It is also important to organize every neighborhood, and develop an organization that will help increase voter turnout. I will also speak to the hopes and aspirations of all voters. All families, and especially Hispanic families, realize the importance of educating their children and realizing the American dream.

BL: Moving over to issues, one of the issues that separate you from your opponent is transportation. You've consistently voted for funding for DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit), while your opponent has opposed it. What are the major transportation needs for district 32 and what are the differences between your record and your opponent?

MF: DART is much more than just a mass-transit system. It's also a tool for economic success. I was the only Dallas County Member of Congress to actively support creating it, and my opponent has voted against it. Tea21 is another. I also support the Transportation bill, which will provide crucial funding for the Dallas area.

BL: What legislative achievement of yours are you most proud? Why?

MF: First and foremost, I am most proud of my three beautiful and successful daughters. I am proud of the AMBER LAW, because it will help keep children safe. I'm also proud of the work I did to remodel Vought, which let to job creation in the area. As a lifelong supporter of our military and veterans, I took great pleasure in bringing the Veterans Cemetery to Dallas. I'm also happy with the work I did to protect people's healthcare benefits by changing the bankruptcy law.

BL: While many progressives and liberals may disagree with your vote for the war in Iraq, your record defends you from the "liberal" label that the other side will try to tag you with. How will you convince Republican and Independent voters in north Dallas that you can better represent them?

MF: They are not ideological or extreme. They are civic minded and understand that to have a strong economy, we must create good jobs, provide good education to all children, and have clean air to breathe. They will not be fooled by Party spin or empty rhetoric.

Thanks for this opportunity to speak with your readers.

To donate or learn more, click here.