Ed. note: The following is one of twenty races we are featuring in the Texas Political Report. Annie's List provided research and analysis for this race.
District 47 is located in the southwest portion of Travis County and is home to both working families in middle-class neighborhoods and some very "nice" upper middle class neighborhoods. Although the district includes parts of traditionally "blue" Austin, it incorporates several large conservative neighborhoods in western Travis County. Though Democrats handily outnumber Republicans in the county, Bolton won her last two elections by narrow margins, so the race will definitely be one to watch. Pocketbook issues regarding jobs and education are important here, along with water issues in an area that includes communities around Lake Travis.
Republican Paul Workman is a prototypical Republican who doesn't stand out in any major way, but that could work for him. Bolton has done an excellent job securing support from female voters in recent years, and she should expect to do that again. On local issues, there is relatively little to use to challenge Rep. Bolton. Republicans are hoping to run this campaign much like the suburban races in Dallas and Harris county, focusing on national issues and ignoring the local races that matter to voters.
Why Rep. Valinda Bolton Returns Next Year
Obama won the district with a strong 54.1% in 2008, which means it’s still essentially a Democratic seat to lose. Rep. Bolton has built a strong record in her years in the legislature and has her own team running an aggressive and far-reaching field plan, as well as coordinated campaigns across the county working to protect her.
Valinda Bolton is, once again, probably the Travis County House Democrat most in danger of losing a reelection campaign. By now a veteran of tough campaigns, she today announced her reelection campaign core.
Elizabeth Hartman, who's been through the ropes with Representative Bolton before, will once again head up Bolton's reelection team. Also joining Representative Bolton will be the top two men from the Karen Sage campaign, Jim Wick and Shawn Badgley, who will be the Field Director and Deputy Field Director, respectively.
Hartman will likely run a steady ship from now until November, because she's done so before. And, after all, it isn't hard to make a stellar representative who has formed coalitions to secure lasting drinking water and improved road security measures.
Wick and Badgley, meanwhile, are coming off running one of the stronger field campaigns Travis County has seen in recent years. Although most local politicos thought that Montford was headed to a victory, Sage won precisely because she had a very, very strong field organization. It will be exciting to see the Bolton reelection campaign with a similar force.
Paul Workman is almost a complete unknown in his bid to defeat Democrat Valinda Bolton. Bolton is a great candidate and solid Democrat and has been for two full sessions. However, the district leans to the right and was drawn to elect Republicans. Regardless of the fact it is entirely inside Travis County, Republicans had advantage in HD-47 until they broke their brand and kicked everyone out from under the tent.
Now Paul Workman is trying to do what Donna Keel couldn't last cycle, defeat Valinda Bolton.
As people across the state try to find out who this Workman fella is, Richard Whittacker at the Chronicle noticed a strange paradox in Workmans far right ideology and the depths his hypocrisy will allow him to move in order to make a few bucks.
So what form of Republican is Workman (an important question, considering the nationwide orthodoxy test seemingly underway)? Aside from making his money in building as the CEO of, Workman spent eight years on the RECA board, and is now secretary of arch-tort reformists Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse-Central Texas. He's now director of development for commercial leasing and development firm T. Stacy & Associates (which, considering his CALA-TX link, makes it interesting to note that his new employers acted as development advisors for the Texas Trial Lawyers Building).
If actions speak louder than words, then Republicans and Democrats should be very cautious about who else Workman will sell out in order to make a quick buck (or millions of quick bucks as the case may be).
Even though the race may not officially exist yet, there is plenty going on in the race to replace Kay Bailey Hutchison in the U.S. Senate.
If you're in Austin, John Sharp is launching his campaign at Abel's on the Lake at 6pm tonight. Suggested contribution is $35.
Speaking of Sharp, Galveston County Democratic Party Chair Lloyd Criss has a BOR diary up encouraging the former Comptroller to get out of the Senate race and run for Lt. Governor. Criss, as you might imagine, is supporting Houston Mayor Bill White for the U.S. Senate.
Bill White's campaign has named Joe Hamill to be their Central Texas Regional Field Director. Hamill, an Austin native and Austin High graduate, was the Field Director for the Travis County Democratic Party's Coordinated Campaign last year. Austin area supporters for White will also be registering voters at First Thursday on South Congress tomorrow (Facebook event info)
While Whole Foods CEO John Mackey's health care editorial from the WSJ inspired a small protest outside the store's Austin headquarters it also apparently got Russell Verney, a former advisor to Ross Perot, thinking Mackey could be a solid candidate for the Senate. Unsurprisingly, a Whole Foods spokesperson tells the Statesman "there is absolutely no truth to that rumor."
Gardner Selby had a story a few days ago about Austin area legislators taking sides in the U.S. Senate race. Diana Maldonado and Valinda Bolton are hosting Sharp's event tonight while Patrick Rose, Mark Strama and Dawnna Dukes are backing White.
All this and yet, thanks to the indecisive mind of Kay Bailey Hutchison, no election date.
With the recent release of campaign finance reports, it is a good time to take a look at how some of the incumbent House Democrats likely to be targeted by the Republicans faired in fundraising.
There are many months ahead, but here is the current financial outlook for 10 incumbent House Democrats likely to face comeptitive races next year.
House District 2
Mark Homer raised $4,699 and ended the reporting period with $5,982 on hand. His campaign spent $20,676 during that time.
House District 11
Chuck Hopson raised only $5,750 but has an impressive $66,563 on hand, with expenditures of slightly over $22,900 for the reporting period.
House District 47
Valinda Bolton reported raising $14,800 and ended with $23,532 on hand. Two years ago at this time, Bolton had $13,704 on hand, so the two-term incumbent has almost $10k more than she did at this same point last election cycle.
House District 52
Diana Maldonado raised $18,950 and ended the reporting period with $35,817 in the bank. The Williamson County Democrat and TexBlog PAC endorsed candidate spent a little over $18,000 during that time.
House District 78
Joe Moody of El Paso reported raising $16,950 to end the reporting period with $27,955.82 on hand. Moody, a TexBlog PAC endorsed candidate, won by just over 3200 votes in 2008.
House District 96
Chris Turner reported raising $45,251.24 and had slightly over $102,000 on hand. Great to see huge numbers from a TexBlog PAC endorsed candidate.
House District 101
Robert Miklos, a freshman House member from Mesquite and another TexBlog PAC endorsed candidate, raised $18,340 and has $20,656 on hand.
House District 102
Carol Kent, who defeated incumbent Tony Goolsby in 2008, raised $32,170 and ended the filing period with just over $51,000 on hand.
House District 107
Although he raised only $1,157 during the reporting period and spent more than $60,000, incumbent Democrat Allen Vaught has more than $86,000 currently on hand.
House District 133
Kristi Thibaut, who defeated Republican incumbent Jim Murphy by 497 votes in 2008, has $45,655 on hand. At this point two years ago, as she prepared for a rematch with Murphy after losing in 2006, Thibaut only had $6,851 on hand.
Today the board members of the Legislative Study Group (LSG) unanimously reelected Representative Garnet Coleman as Chair. In addition, LSG also unanimously elected Representative Valinda Bolton to the position of Vice Chair.
Rounding out the returning officers are Representative Elliott Naishtat as Treasurer, Representative Lon Burnam as the second Vice Chair, Representative Dora Olivo as Legal Counsel and Representative Rafael Anchía as Secretary. In addition Representative Marisa Marquez was appointed as the freshman Ex-Oficio representative to the board.
The LSG board also consists of Representatives Roberto Alonzo, David Farabee, Pete Gallego, Terri Hodge, Scott Hochberg, Eddie Rodriguez, Mike Villarreal, and Abel Herrero.
Congrats to the board and to both the officers of LSG.
1. a campaign technique in which a fake poll is used to alter the views of respondents. Push polls are generally viewed as form of negative campaigning. The term is also sometimes used incorrectly to refer to actual polls which test political messages, some of which may be negative.
In other words, a deceptive way to spread rumors, lies, and conjecture, without getting dirt on your hands or having to say that the Donna Keel campaign has paid money for a negative campaign tactic.
Austin has been a buzz today with rumors that Donna Keel has been push polling House District 47 voters. Valinda Bolton's campaign manager was quick to respond.
I believe in running a tough, hard hitting campaign. But, I draw the line at calling voters under the guise of legitimate polling and planting lies about our opponent. Reports are coming in that a push poll against Valinda was running last night.
For those unfamiliar with a push poll, it's when you receive a call from a "pollster" and the "questions" they ask have false or misleading information about a candidate embedded within the question. These polls are designed to shape public opinion and are tactics straight out of Karl Rove's playbook.
If the reports are true, we must be ready to defend Valinda against the next attack. Please make a generous donation today.
The story has some legs. According to a site, McCarthyAustin.com, the writer actually received the call. The call had only nice things to say about Keel and negative, false things to say about incumbent Valinda Bolton.
This shows the stark difference between the two candidates.
In Valinda's 2006 campaign she spoke of her readiness to tackle tough issues, build bridges, and find solutions that work for all of us. Since her election, Valinda has reached across the aisle and built a broad coalition that stands ready to tackle the REAL issues facing Texas families. She's worked to strengthen our public schools, resolve our traffic nightmares, reduce our property tax burden, and negotiate affordable healthcare for our families and small businesses. Please donate now and send Valinda back for a second term.
The Austin Chronicle summed up Valinda's opponent, Donna Keel, by saying,
"If that last name sounds a little familiar, it should. She's the wife of Thornton Keel, who is brother to Terry Keel, who is Tom Craddick's parliamentarian and the former incumbent of District 47. So, to recap, the sister-in-law of one of the chief consiglieres to the massively unpopular speaker is trying to knock down the winner of the prestigious, Legislative Study Group's Freshman of the Year award."
Please make a donation to help combat these Tom Craddick, Karl Rove, Tom DeLay campaign tactics.
Valinda Bolton TX House District 47 Rep, speaking July 14th, 6pm-8pm
Travis County Democratic Issues/Policy Meet-Up, Mon., July 7th, 6:00pm-8:00pm
What: We'll network and present the issues and policies important to Travis County, important to TX, including Barack Obama's policy. We'll share, learn, frame the issues, and market them. 1st hour is "Democratic Citizen Communication" where you present your issues important to you as a Democrat! 2nd hour Valinda Bolton is speaking.
When: Mon., July 14th, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Where: Travis County Democratic Party Coordinated Campaign Headquarters, 1107 N. I 35 (next door to CVS, in old Safeway Building at 12th and I-35)
Who: Anyone interested in networking with fun, cool, energizing, like-minded Democrats, and learning about the policies and issues important to our city, our state, and our nation heading into the November TX elections. 1st hour is a "Democratic Party Town Hall Meeting".
Cost: FREE
You're welcome to bring food/drinks to share and bring your laptop (Laptop not mandatory).
Best,
David Kobierowski
Travis County Democratic Party Issues Committee Chair
512-413-0286
Cleanair999@yahoo.com
I thought there weren't any Keel's left to be defeated by Democrats in Travis County. Apparently, the Keel family has at least one more family member left willing to take an electoral plunge. From Laylan Copelin at the Statesman...
Donna Keel, the sister-in-law of former state Rep. Terry Keel, has filed as a Republican for House District 47.
Keel, who's married to Thornton Keel, Terry's brother, obviously hopes to use the family name to recapture the seat. District 47 includes southwestern Travis County.
Rep. Valinda Bolton, an Austin Democrat, won a long, expensive campaign in 2006 after Terry Keel retired from the Texas House. Terry Keel now serves as House parliamentarian.
Anyone want to guess whether the "Keel" name has the same sterling benefits that it once had in Travis County? I'm willing to guess that after the last legislative session- not so much.
I just made another contribution to Valinda's re-election campaign. You should, too.
UPDATE: I could not help but post this excellent summary of the race from the Austin Chronicle Blog.
So, to recap, the sister-in-law of one of the chief consiglieres to the massively unpopular speaker is trying to knock down the winner of the prestigious Legislative Study Group's Freshman of the Year award.
