Democrat Juan Garcia and Republican Todd Hunter are waging what is going to be the most expensive State Representative race this cycle. Republicans know that, without knocking off Garcia, they are in trouble. Garcia, however, is running an excellent campaign on the issues -- and exposing Hunter for the opportunist that he is.
It would take to long to re-write, so first, go read this diary:
In 2006, Garcia proved that he can run an excellent campaign. In 2007, Garcia proved that he is an honest, hard-working leader in the Texas House.
In 2008, Garcia will prove again that he's an excellent campaigner, and ultimately the people of House District 32 will be all the better off for having Rep. Garcia fight for re-election.
Here are some other links that previous coverage of the race on Burnt Orange Report:
KT put the newest Juan Garcia ad up a few days ago. The ad focuses on closing the revolving door in Austin.
To prevent legislators from using their final months in office to feather the bed with big lobbying contracts, most states require a two to three year wait before a departing member can register as a lobbyist. Before a member of the U.S. Congress can register as a lobbyist, they are required to wait two years. Before a Navy Admiral or a Marine General can register as a lobbyist for a defense contractor, there's a two to three year wait.
Not so in Texas.
Here in Texas, legislators step down from office in the morning, and they can be registered lobbyists that afternoon. Last week, Texans for Public Justice reported that there are now 1,629 registered lobbyists in Texas, with $348 million worth of lobbying contracts.
One person is familiar with the revolving door, Todd Hunter. Hunter went straight from the State House to the the... well... State House. First as an elected official then as a energy lobbyist.
That calls into question his motives in the final days of his final session. Who was he looking out for? Was he passing laws for future clients or current voters? Those questions aren't a big deal when the revolving door is slammed closed. When it takes 2, 4, or 6 years before a former elected official can go lobby, people know that their representative is working for them.
Todd Hunter questioned Garcia's push to clean up government, asking why "Juan Garcia is afraid of lobbyist". Garcia's response and Hunters negativity were captured on film.
Garcia continues to make good government a top priority. It is still unclear what Hunter is campaigning on.
If someone would have told me that one of the main issues this campaign cycle would be whether Texans have a right to elect the insurance commissioner, I would have laughed at you.
With Tom Craddick's decree of absolute power, fewer kids on CHIP than 2003, rising tuition rates, increased gas prices, and a horrid economy who would have said the insurance commissioner would be a central campaign theme.
Good thing I didn't take that bet. Ernie Casbeer and Juan Garcia are campaign strongly on a bill Mark Homer filed last year to elect the state's insurance commissioner.
Casbeer said he will support similar efforts during the next legislative session to make the commissioner directly accountable to voters.
As Texans are still trying to recover from Hurrican Ike, it is clear that voters deserve the right to elect their own state insurance commissioner and hold him or her directly accountable for improving coverage and bringing down homeowners' rates.
Like most things in Texas, we pay more for less. As Texas residents continue to try to recover from Hurricane Ike's devastation many Texans have to face the very real prospect of paying more for insurance policies that offer less coverage. In fact our insurance rates continue to be more than twice the national average but our insurance commissioner is responsible to nobody.
"Once again, it looks like big insurance companies are poised to use a natural disaster to limit their payouts to ordinary Texans who paid for coverage in just such an emergency," Casbeer said.
Casbeer cited recent reports and news accounts about soaring homeowners' insurance premiums and high deductibles in the wake natural disasters like Hurricane Ike, showing that consumers are shouldering an increased financial burden for most catastrophic events.
Currently, the commissioner is appointed by the governor and has few resources to oversee insurance companies, which are free to impose rate hikes without approval from state regulators.
When you can't say anything good about your own party or your own campaign the only option left is to go negative.
The Nueces County Republican Party is doing just that. As Juan Garcia and Able Herrero keep pointing out, the NCRP is using negative campaign tactics in an attempt to mislead voters.
They continue to mount a negative smear campaign against incumbent State Representative Abel Herrero (D-Robstown), along with his colleague, Rep. Juan Garcia (D-Corpus Christi).
Something I missed over the ACL weekend, looming voter registration deadline and general Monday chaos was Rep. Abel Herrero's statement.
"I'm disappointed, but not surprised at the negative misleading tactics being used by the Nueces County Republicans. Because my Republican opponent is out of touch with the constituents of District 34 and has no clue about the real needs and priorities of Nueces County families, Republicans are now using desperate campaign tactics in an effort to distract voters away from the Republican Party failures at the state and national levels. I am confident that these diversionary attempts will not resonate with the families who in every day life are constantly reminded about the high cost of gas, an increasing utility bill, and escalating property taxes. I stand on my record and with the working families in my district.
The contributions the Republicans so desperately insist in repeating were received and spent in good faith and long before any issue had arisen or thought to exist. Once we were aware of any issues, my campaign donated any remaining contributions to worthy causes. I will continue to represent the hard-working families of my district and hope the Republican Party and my opponent will educate themselves and focus on the issues affecting our constituents' daily lives instead of desperate misleading attack ads."
Sunday: Last Sunday's Corpus Christi Caller Times reported on Hunter's millions that he has received in payment for lobbying for insurance and energy companies, and his refusal to release his tax records. The Hunter campaign's latest position is that they won't release tax records because "it might not clear it up."
Monday: Following Gene Seaman's campaign strategy, Todd Hunter is a no-show at a major HD-32 debate at Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi. Local affiliates report that the debate goes on with Representative Garcia and Libertarian Leonard Nelson participating in front of a large crowd and 3 major television stations. (You can see the debate for yourself here.)
Tuesday: Desperate to change the subject, local GOP hack leadership produces and attempts to air a false and inflammatory TV ad about Garcia. Both KRIS (NBC) and KZTV (CBS) affiliates refuse to air the ad.
"We take our obligations as trustees of the public airways very seriously. We had concerns about the accuracy of some of the allegations in the advertisement, and on advice of legal counsel decided not to accept it." Billy Brotherton - General Manager KZTV.
After watching the ad, it's pretty clear why it was rejected.
Wednesday: With the nation in the midst of historic economic turmoil, the Hunter Campaign announces a "Town Hall" meeting ... at a Yacht Club.
Thursday: The mastermind of this strategy? Campaign consultant Steve Ray. Ethics report filings for Jan. 2008 - June 2008 shows that Hunter's campaign manager, Steve Ray, has been paid over $82,000. That is over $13,000 a month. Not sure what that $82,000 has bought the campaign.
Friday: With the Garcia Campaign starting their third week of unanswered saturation TV advertising, Hunter attempts to generate some media coverage ... by splitting a 30 minute segment on an AM radio talk show with the manager from "Mac's Bottomless Pit BBQ."
Saturday: With their TV ad rejected, the local GOP rocket scientists take to the airwaves with a radio ad, accusing Garcia of voting for a measure that would have increased windstorm rates for coastal residents. The Caller-Times publishes an "Ad Fact Check" pointing out that "what the ad doesn't say is that it passed unanimously in the Texas House," and that both candidates support similar measures.
Todd Hunter continues to have really bad weeks. The sad part is that most of this has been self-inflicted wounds. But then again, how does a Windstorm Insurance lobbyist explain to the Coastal Bend that he really wants to help them when he has been lobbying against them for 10 years.
Todd Hunter is Gene Seaman Part 2. He's lazy, he's arrogant, and he's out of touch with his district. More importantly, he's getting lost in a sea of amateur mistakes that is concerning Republicans that his campaign is floundering. At this point, Hunter's only hope is to pour special interest lobby money into the race with a flood of negative advertising.
And don't worry -- that will be coming soon. Here's a look at Hunter's no good, very bad week:
Todd Hunter is hiding enough insurance lobby money to bail out Freddie Mac.
Hunter continues to refuse to release his tax records, because he knows that as soon as he does everyone will know exactly how much he is financed by the insurance lobby. Seriosuly -- this has been months in the making.
It's a stupid campaign move. He could have released them months ago, when no one was paying attention. Now, instead of only Garcia running ads on "Hunter paid by the insurance lobby" Garcia can run ads on "What is he hiding?" and then run ads on "Hunter paid by the insurance lobby." It gives Hunter no time to construct a counter-narrative.
Hunter runs scared, Garcia wins twice, and another Republican runs a crappy campaign in HD 32.
Todd Hunter dodges debates like hippies dodge drafts.
Juan Garcia is a Naval Commander who was a top aide to the deputy Commander in Chief of U.S. Naval Forces in Europe. Todd Hunter is ducking out of planned debates before constituents at Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
I have only one question: who is ready to lead?
Running scared on his tax records. Running scared from constituents. If Seaman lost because he was unlikeable and senile, Hunter is going to lose because his campaign is trying to see if a candidate can get elected while hiding under the bed.
Todd Hunter is turning into Seaman with his negative advertising
Remember when Seaman started getting desparate and running bogus attack ads? It backfired pretty hard. And now that Hunter is running a lobby-funded campaign that hides from constituents, guess what he's started to do: run negative radio ads.
The latest falsely attacks Garcia for votes on HB 2960. From Garcia's campaign:
The radio attack ad claims that House Bill 2960, "would have led to big rate increases for coastal residents and hurt the economy of our area." The ad asks, "So why did our three state representatives vote to make our rates go even higher?" The Facts: HB 2960 was authored by Representative Smithee, the Republican Chairman of the Insurance Committee. Along with Garcia's vote, the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association measure passed the House unanimously, 137-0. According to the House Research Organization, the measure held the promise to "give TWIA the tools to become solvent and healthy for years to come. A strong TWIA creates more security for Coastal Bend homeowners and that will drive windstorm rates down, not up, and stimulate economic growth for our area."
Seriously -- this is supposed to be the best shot Republicans have at beating a Democrat? Running a candidate that is like Gene Seaman, without so much viagra? A less enthusiastic, cranky, incompetent, short-sighted candidate that may be running the largest industry-influenced campaign in the district's history -- this is who Republicans think will win?
Todd Hunter is a rerun candidate. We've seen this schlock before, and the voters in HD 32 did, too. They didn't watch it then, and they're going to turn out Todd Hunter again in November.
In a staggering act of arrogance, Big Insurance/Big Energy Lobbyist and HD-32 candidate Todd Hunter continues to refuse to give up his tax records (unlike Juan Garcia). His latest reason? It might confuse people. From yesterday¹s Corpus Christi Caller-Times article, "Fees Hunter Received For Lobbying Are Unclear".
Hunter's opponent in the race for Texas House District 32, State Rep. Juan Garcia, D-Corpus Christi, has repeatedly raised questions about Hunter's lobbyist ties and has also renewed calls for Hunter to release his tax returns for 10 years.
They claim he has been paid between $1.6 million and $2.9 million, estimates based on adding the lowest of the reported ranges and the highest of the reported ranges.
"You know, he could clear all of this up if he would release his tax records," Garcia said Thursday.
The Hunter camp says no, disclosing his personal income tax records may not clear up any of this up, because some of the lobbying checks may have gone to his law firm.
In an attempt to deceive the public, Hunter campaign consultant Steve Ray (who has cost Hunter over $82,000 in fees during the 6-month period between January 2008 and June 2008 according to the Hunte's July 15, 2008 Campaign Finance Report), said that Hunter has made disclosures.
To date, the only disclosures that Hunter made are investment disclosures, which are silent on the amounts he has made over the last 10 years of lobbying for insurance and energy companies. In those years, Todd Hunter's overall lobby contracts totaled up to as much as $3.6 million dollars
At another candidate forum, a citizen outraged that Hunter (who never served in the military) would demand Garcia's Navy records as a condition of releasing his own tax records, challenged him to produce his Selective Service Draft records. Hunter stunned the gathering by responding that he couldn't remember if the draft was active when he was in college. In this heavily-military community, which has given disproportionately both in Vietnam and in the Desert, this will not be forgotten.
Why do you now conveniently forget whether or not there was a draft? Why are you now ashamed of being a Big Insurance/Big Energy Lobbyist? It has been over 100 days since Hunter agreed to release his records, what's the hold up?
Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson contacted Lenard Nelson, a Libertarian candidate for State Representative in the hotly contested House District 32 race and broached the subject of abandoning the race.
According to Nelson (L-Rockport), Patterson called him and the two had a conversation in which he says Patterson, whom he knew casually through the Republican Liberty Caucus, didn't directly ask him to abandon the race, but did broach the subject.
"We talked about hunting and fishing, and then the conversation turned to politics and I told him how I was really into the race, really committed--it's my second time to run--and to giving the Republicans and the Democrats a hard time," Nelson said.
"And after that he said, 'I guess there is no sense in me asking you to drop out then,'" Nelson said.
Hurricane Ike is going to hit Texas late Friday night/Saturday Morning as either a Category 3 or 4 storm according to current projections. Rep. Juan Garcia has distributed the following information for residents.
Local officials have ordered Mandatory Evacuation for all residents with special needs (residents who cannot evacuate themselves). If you are in Nueces County and have special needs, please dial 361-289-5881.
Residents in all other counties should dial 211. Please stay tuned to local media for updates, and comply with any further instructions from local or state emergency personnel.
Hurricane evacuation lanes (Evaculanes) on I-37 opened Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m. The left shoulder of northbound I-37 in Corpus Christi will be available for use from SH 359 (Padre Island Drive) to north of the Nueces River, where traffic will be shifted to use the right shoulder. The Evaculane will close at the exit for U.S. 281 in Pleasanton. These evacuation lanes are road shoulders that are wide and smooth enough to be used safely as a travel lane during evacuations.
For information on Texas road conditions, call the Texas Road Condition and Travel Information Line (800-452-9292) or visit TxDOT's website: www.txdot.gov.
Aransas County: For any questions, please call the Sheriff's office at 361-729-2222.
Calhoun County Update: If you do not have a vehicle, and cannot get a ride with friends, neighbors, or family register in advance with the Calhoun County Emergency Management Office for a ride to a designated shelter. Contact Mary Bonuz at 361-553-4400
San Patricio County Update: For any questions, please call the Sheriff's office at 361-364-9600 or 361-364-2251.
Nueces County Update: The public is advised if they have "special needs" (cannot evacuate themselves) and may require evacuation assistance to register by dialing 211, a 24-hour telephone line. A decision will be made this evening whether to begin evacuating "special needs" tomorrow morning.
