I am happy to endorse Dan Grant for Congress in the 10th District of Texas. Dan's experience makes him supremely qualified to be a Congressman in a time of war, and his temperament will make him a tremendous Representative in peacetime.
The biggest challenge we face is the war in Iraq. Dan's 18 months under fire in Iraq, helping the Iraqis manage their elections, give him a unique perspective on what can and can't be done. For the last 3 years, Michael McCaul has blindly supported every blunder that the Bush administration has made in Iraq. Dan Grant can see through the lies, and he isn't afraid to speak the truth. In an election with the Iraq war as the central issue, there is no stronger candidate than Dan Grant.
Serving in Congress means more than just voting against the war. A true Representative listens to his district, does his homework, and acts to help his constituents. Unlike Michael McCaul, whose constituent service is nonexistent, Dan Grant learned constituent service as an aide to the master, Jake Pickle. He is humble enough to learn what he doesn't already know, and he is committed to using his position to help real people with real problems.
Any Democrat would be a huge improvement on Michael McCaul, but Dan Grant isn't just "any Democrat". His Texas roots and Texas-sized heart, coupled with a world of experience, make him uniquely qualified.
Lorenzo Sadun
(former) Democrat for Congress, TX-10
(always) Democrat for Texas
The final tally is in, and despite a spirited, vigorous campaign, Ted Ankrum lost to Mike McCaul, 40.37% to 55.32%. (2004 Libertarian Presidential candidate Michael Badnarik, who once called for Ankrum to drop out of the race, pulled in a meager 4.31%.)
In only one other Texas Congressional race did a Democratic challenger do better; Will Pryor took 41.27% of the vote against incumbent Pete Sessions, who received 56.42% of the ballots cast.
Update:Another Ankrum supporter has taken me to task:
Actually the difference in the race between Ted and McCaul was 14.95% and the difference between Pryor and Sessions was 15.15%. Not to put too fine a point on things, but to offer a small encouragement...Ted did best.
In District 21's special election, darling of the Netroots [running a much higher profile campaign], John Courage took 24.45%, though that was an admittedly crowded field [see comments for additional analysis of CD21 results]. Still, Lamar Smith held his seat at 60.19%.
I think this is an astounding result for a candidate who did not have the support of either the Texas or the national Democratic parties, and raised (through October 30th), less than $50,000.
I can't help but think that the state and national parties blew a chance to knock off freshman Republican Mike McCaul. And that's the real disappointment in the final result.
[Following is the text of the press release. Formatted some for readability]
Citing Challenges at Home and Abroad
Clark says, 'Texas Needs a Representative who will Bring New Leadership to Congress'
Immediate Release
Contact: Erick Mullen
(202) 409-8803 or emullen@securingamerica.com
November 2, 2006. Little Rock, AR.
Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander General Wesley Clark today endorses the candidacy of Ted Ankrum in Texas¡œs 10th Congressional District.
General Clark said, "Today Americans face many difficult challenges at home and abroad. There has never been a time when foreign affairs were as closely linked to our daily lives as they are now. While fighting the causes of terrorism that threaten our country, we also face a changing global economy that demands America educate its young men and women so that they can successfully compete for good jobs in the global marketplace. We need Ted to fight for us in Congress, and I am pleased to endorse him today.
(I almost forgot, the 3rd area congressional ad, this time from Ted Ankrum. Also watch the ones from John Courage and Mary Beth Harrell. - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
Ted Ankrum, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE IN TEXAS DISTRICT 10
Friday, October 13, 2006
Americans are rightly worried about terrorism and threats to the United States. We must respond to those threats, but we do not need more incompetence from our national leadership.
President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran recently trashed our president in the United Nations. Tinpot heads of state have always done this, and we usually paid no attention. But now we do. Why? Because they have oil, and we need it. If we had a decent plan to reduce oil imports, we could go back to ignoring these pipsqueaks.
Every foiled terrorist operation has been caught by intelligence cooperation and law enforcement, not by invasion and occupation. Why aren't we implementing all of the laboriously worked out recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, and saving our military for Army-size threats?
