Contested Primary Races, Part 1 of 4: Democratic Congressional Primaries

With early voting starting Tuesday, there are a number of contested primary races on the Democratic and Republican primary ballots across the state. In this, the first part of a four-part series, we’ll look at contested Democratic primary races for U.S. Congress. On Tuesday, we’ll look at contested GOP Congressional primaries, followed by contested Democratic Primary Races in State Rep and Senate races on Wednesday and contested GOP primary races in those races on Thursday.

CD-01

Two Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination to take on freshman Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-Tyler) in the November Election.

Pool builder Roger L. Owen (D-Hallsville) and attorney Duane Shaw (D-Lufkin) are facing each other in the Democratic Primary.

Shaw holds a degree in history and French from Stephen F. Austin State University and a law degree from St. Mary’s University. He is a solo practitioner in Lufkin. Owen owns and operates Admiral Inground Pools and touts himself as a 25-year political activist and graduate of the Longview Citizen Police Academy.

Judging by both candidates’ websites, they are attempting to capitalize on the strong Christian vote in the area. Shaw notes the following about his decision to run on his website:

If not for the guiding hand of Providence and listening to my family, I don’t think anyone of us could make decisions regarding our life’s course. When you add that to the problems I see my friends and neighbors are suffering through and the clear certainty that I could help make positive difference in their lives should I win the election, my decision was easily made.

Owen, meanwhile, notes the following:

“Family Values” need to be more than just a “political slogan”. The very foundation of our religious freedoms are being challenged by special interests like never before. We must protect our freedom to worship from those who would use our own beliefs against us.

Owen’s campaign focuses on deficit reduction and restoring personal freedoms to East Texans. He notes:

“This Congress has failed to act in the best interest of the American people. From the tainted Prescription Drug Plan (lead by the pharmaceutical special interests) to the eight trillion dollar National Debt. We simply can not afford another rubber stamp at the disposal for this current administration…I am running for Congress to restore the personal freedoms and values which are important to east Texans. We must protect our independent way of life when it comes to our home, family, small business/job and faith.

Shaw, menawhile, advocates:

•supporting stronger state and federal legislation designed to improve our school houses so that our children can develop and study without fear of doing so in substandard structures that endanger their health.

•legislation that will once again allow importation of drugs from Canada under FDA scrutiny

•elemination of the Disabled Veterans’ Tax

•UN intervention in Iraq

•legislation aimed at strengthening our border controls, in both personnel and technologically advanced detection equipment.

Gohmert, a former texas district court judge in Smith County and intermediate appellate court judge for the 12th District Court of Appeals, defeated former U.S. Congressman Max Sandlin in 2004 following redistricting. This was following a tough primary involving Gohmert, attorney John Graves (R-Longview), former State Rep. Wayne Christian (R-Center) who is presently involved in another race for State Rep., and Lyle Thorstenson (R-Center). Following a runoff, Gohmert bested Graves and went on to defeat Sandlin outspending the incumbent Democrat $1.8 to $6.9 million.

The Democrat who wins will have a tough time against Gohmert in November. The Cook PVI for the district is R+17. While Max Sandlin took the old CD-01 with a comfortable 56/44 percent lead in 2002, he was defeated by Gohmert 61/38% in 2004, though he remained seven percentage points above John Kerry districtwide due to inpart to incumbency, name recognition and quality of representation while in office.

The District: Upshur, Marion, Gregg, Harrison, Smith, Rusk, Panola, Shelby, Nacgdoches, San Augustine, Angelina, Sabine and part of Cass Counties. Stretches from the Louisiana border on the east to Van Zandt County on the west for 8,916 square miles (roughly the size of New Jersy). Population (2000): 651,619; 70.6% white, 18.3% black, 9.3% Hispanic. Median income: $33,461, 16.0 % poverty status, 13.3% military veteran population.

CD-07

Two Democrats are vying to take on John Culberson (R-Houston) in a district covering West Houston and western Harris County.

Jim Henley (D-Houston) and David Murff (D-Friendswood) will attempt to unseat a three-term congressman who has had a Democratic opponent in only one of the last two election cycles. In that election (2004), Culberson maintained a 64/33 percent lead over his Democratic opponent. The Cook PVI for the District is R+16.

Since the 7th was created in 1966, it hashad only three Reps—all Republicans: former President George Bush, Bill Archer and Culberson.

Henley is a middle school debate and history teacher and former Baptist minister. Murff is an attorney in private practice and broker with NelsonReid.

Henley lists his top three campaign issues as:

1. Public financing for congressional races/ electoral reform
2. Strengthening homeland security for borders, ports, nuclear, and chemical plants.
3. Work toward a balanced budget that is fair to working and middle class Americans.

Murff lists his top three campaign issues as:

a) Restoring confidence and integrity to our political system by attacking cronyism, corruption, pandering to corporate special interests and over reaching lobbying practices;
b) Universal healthcare for all Americans;
c) Rebuilding our public education system.

The District: 198 square miles, 651,620 population (2000). Median income: 57,846, 7.4% in poverty, 9.9 % military vets. 67.5% white, 5.6% black, 18% Hispanic, 6.9% Asian. 99.7% urban.

CD-10

Four Democrats are battling for the chance to take on freshman Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Dallas) in CD 10 in a Houston-to-Austin district. Prior to Redistricting in 2003, Lloyd Doggett represented the Austin-based 10th.

Ted Ankrum (D-Cypress), 63, a retired Navy captain who has worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency; Pat Mynatt (D-Spring), 68, a retired emergency room nurse; Paul Foreman (D-Austin), a Vietnam vet and writer; and Sid Smith (D-Austin), a retired Realtor will face each other on March 7.

McCaul bested a field of eight GOP primary candidates and a runoff to get the nod in the district in 2004. No Democrat filed for the post though Austin Democrat Lorenzo Sadun did wage a write-in campaign garnering six percent of the vote to McCaul’s 79% and 15% for the Libertarian candidate.

McCaul outpaced Bush in the district 76/62 percent.

The District: Lee, Washington, Austin, Waller and parts of Travis, Bastrop and Harris Counties; 3,846 square miles. 80.8% urban, pop. 651,620. Cook PVI: R+13. 66.5% white, 9.1% black, 18.7% Hispanic, 3.9% Asian.

CD 28

CD 28 is by far the most heated of congressional races, with incumbent Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo) facing former U. S. Congressman Ciro Rodriguez (D-San Antonio) and frequent candidate and teacher Victor Morales (D-Crandall), who is actually running from outside the district.

Cuellar won a hotly contested primary in 2004 by less than 100 votes, and went on to defeat his GOP opponent 59/39 percent in a district that Bush carried by a mere 3 percentage points in 2004 which otherwise leans very Democratc in spite of its Cook PVI of D+1.

The race has made news recently with Rodriguez raising in excess of $100,000 through the Internet following the publicity surrounding a photo of Cuellar being embraced by President Bush during last month’s State of the Union Address. Most agree Morales, a two-time candidate for U.S. Senate, is a non-entity in the district, though the 1-3 percentage points he could garner will likely have a serious effect on the outcome of the race.

This will be a winner-take-all primary, as no Republican is seeking the seat.

District: Includes all of Atascosa, Frio, Guadalupe, LaSalle, McMullen, Wilson and Zapata Counties and parts of Bexar, Comal, Hays, and Webb counties. 10,246 square miles (roughly the size of Massachusetts). 27.9% white, 64.5% Hispanic, 651,620 population. 75.9% urban, medianincome $31,355, 22.6% of residents in poverty, 11.9% military vets in the district.

Note: The Democratic Party of Texas lists CD-19 as a contested primary race, but Jorge Artalejo was deemed ineligible to run against five-term Rep. Sylvestre Reyes after the check for his filing fee bounced.

Cross Posted to PolState.

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