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State Rep. candidates juggle jobs, looming campaign
By Marcus Funk
Although the general election is still seven months away, the bipartisan candidates for state representative are becoming more and more visible across Terrell and Kaufman County.
Neither Republican incumbent Betty Brown (R-Terrell) nor Democratic challenger Victor Morales have kicked their campaigns into high gear just yet, and although the date becomes less significant every year, the official start of the campaign season – Labor Day – is still five months away. Both have a great deal of unrelated work to finish before too much attention can be devoted to the election, and neither wants to give up that work in favor of the campaign.
But both are starting to juggle their day jobs with plans for the approaching election, even if the connection between the two is less than deliberate.
Brown spoke Wednesday to the Terrell Lions Club about her work in the Texas Legislature and her plans for the upcoming session. She discussed her work promoting a voter identification bill, her support for Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) and her plans for chairing a research committee on adult stem cell research.
The Texas Legislature is not currently in session, but Brown said that she still has plenty of work to do. Since terms for House members are only two years long, an election and a few opponents are usually in the background while she conducts her state business.
“I typically try to stay away from campaign issues at this point in the year,” Brown said. “Even though I have an opponent out there, I still have a job to do.”
It’s a dilemma Morales understands well, too. As a government teacher at the Alternative Learning Center in Kaufman, he has his own official business to deal with – the TAKS test and the final grading period, which are both in full swing. After that, he’ll be teaching summer school in Kaufman before returning to his job in the fall.
Morales gave up his teaching position during his most famous campaign, his 1996 U.S. Senate challenge to Republican Phil Gramm. That race taught him a great deal about politics, but he said it also put a financial burden on his family that he is unwilling to repeat. The solution, then, is to take advantage of speaking opportunities and day-to-day conversations to help get his name out there, even if it isn’t outright campaigning.
“I have a supporter who’s doing my first real fundraiser on Saturday, so I’m excited about that, and I spoke with a church group in Malakoff last week,” Morales said. “I couldn’t really talk politics, but it gave me a chance to be heard.”
The general election is Nov. 4. State House District 4 represents Kaufman and Henderson counties.
Neither Republican incumbent Betty Brown (R-Terrell) nor Democratic challenger Victor Morales have kicked their campaigns into high gear just yet, and although the date becomes less significant every year, the official start of the campaign season – Labor Day – is still five months away. Both have a great deal of unrelated work to finish before too much attention can be devoted to the election, and neither wants to give up that work in favor of the campaign.
But both are starting to juggle their day jobs with plans for the approaching election, even if the connection between the two is less than deliberate.
Brown spoke Wednesday to the Terrell Lions Club about her work in the Texas Legislature and her plans for the upcoming session. She discussed her work promoting a voter identification bill, her support for Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) and her plans for chairing a research committee on adult stem cell research.
The Texas Legislature is not currently in session, but Brown said that she still has plenty of work to do. Since terms for House members are only two years long, an election and a few opponents are usually in the background while she conducts her state business.
“I typically try to stay away from campaign issues at this point in the year,” Brown said. “Even though I have an opponent out there, I still have a job to do.”
It’s a dilemma Morales understands well, too. As a government teacher at the Alternative Learning Center in Kaufman, he has his own official business to deal with – the TAKS test and the final grading period, which are both in full swing. After that, he’ll be teaching summer school in Kaufman before returning to his job in the fall.
Morales gave up his teaching position during his most famous campaign, his 1996 U.S. Senate challenge to Republican Phil Gramm. That race taught him a great deal about politics, but he said it also put a financial burden on his family that he is unwilling to repeat. The solution, then, is to take advantage of speaking opportunities and day-to-day conversations to help get his name out there, even if it isn’t outright campaigning.
“I have a supporter who’s doing my first real fundraiser on Saturday, so I’m excited about that, and I spoke with a church group in Malakoff last week,” Morales said. “I couldn’t really talk politics, but it gave me a chance to be heard.”
The general election is Nov. 4. State House District 4 represents Kaufman and Henderson counties.
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