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July 08, 2005
Candidates, Anyone? -- State House District 134
A few days back, we wrote of the importance of getting good candidates to run next year on the Democratic side, both in Harris County and statewide.
A good place to start in Harris County is State House District 134, currently occupied by former Republican Houston City Council Member Martha Wong.
District 134 is likely the most educated and affluent House district in the state -- it is home to River Oaks, West University Place, Bellaire, the Rice University area, and much of Montrose. Interestingly, it is the district in Harris County where John Kerry (who generally was a weaker candidate than Al Gore in Texas)had the greatest improvement over Gore's 2000 performance -- Gore got 39% of the vote in 134, while Kerry got 46%. Wong won by 6,000 votes against a Democratic opponent who spent little money and frankly didn't run much of a campaign, and a Libertarian who took 2%.
Wong has not exactly distinguished herself in her two terms in Austin. She got elected on the mantra of property tax reform, which the Legislature has so far failed to deliver. She has tried to have it both ways on controversial social issues, often voting one way on committee and another way on the House floor, or just skipping difficult votes all together.
One recent abstention has drawn the wrath of the right -- she skipped the vote on the same-sex marriage amendment. That pass, according to reports, may very well earn her a primary challenge, which is just fine with us. She also angered local Asian business leaders (longtime supporters of hers), by doing the Speaker's bidding and killing the Houston International management district, sponsored by freshman Democrat Hubert Vo.
Wong's shaky record and abrasive personal communication style, combined with an electorate increasingly uncomfortable with the hard right-wing direction of the Republican Party, and a general dissatisfaction with the one party in power -- both in Texas and in Washington -- makes her quite vulnerable in 2006.
Wong, however, is a tough and tireless campaigner, and to beat her will take very hard work and a willingness to "draw contrasts" by pointing out her numerous failures as a legislator.
Fortunately, someone quite capable has already stepped up to the plate. Ellen Cohen, who is president of the Houston Area Women's Center, has said she will run. Those who know her say she has the drive and fortitude necessary to win. This will be quite a race, folks.
Posted by houtopia at July 8, 2005 12:52 PM