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Oct 29, 2008 6:15 pm US/Central
N. Texas Senate Race A Tough One
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
A local state senate race has featured some hard-edged campaign ads.
Texas political analyst Harvey Kronberg, publisher of the Quorum Report newsletter, says the battleground for power at the state capitol lies in who wins the races in Tarrant and Harris counties.
State Senator Kim Brimer is a Republican who represents
District 10, which covers much of Tarrant County. Democrat Wendy Davis is a former Fort Worth City Council member who wants to unseat him.
Both are running on experience. Brimer is touting his political experience. Davis points to her life experience.
Davis came from an impoverished family and had a divorce and a child by age 19. She worked her way through school and to a law degree. That's why education is her key issue.
"Education in Texas has not been our first priority, unfortunately," said Davis. "We've given sway, we've given power to so many voices at the state level, with huge tax incentives and programs that have gone to put lots of money into the pockets of people who already have a great deal of power. We need to transition those resources into the lives of our children."
Brimer talks about education, too. "Fuel alone has hit these school districts real hard," he said. "We know that we want teachers to have the pay; the best teachers to have the best pay that they deserve. We listen to the local districts and get them involved each session. I keep mine informed."
Brimer has spent 20 years navigating the state capitol. His ability to push through legislation for North Texas has earned him the endorsement of all 19 mayors in his district.
"Experience counts," he said. "A new member--it would take them two sessions to find their way around there. And now is not the time to change horses when you got a budget that we've got to balance."
But Davis says Brimer's legacy is exactly what she's running against.
"(Texas has) a public education system that's not being funded appropriately. It's brought us the highest home insurance and highest profits. It's brought us some of the highest utility rates in the country. Both of those because of deregulation he pushed for."
Davis says school funding is in such dire straits many districts will have to start firing teachers.
Brimer sits on a committee that eliminates waste in state agencies. And he says with tighter budgets in Austin, he's needed now more than ever.
A Libertarian candidate, Richard Cross, is also running to represent District 10.
Editor's note: We invited the Davis, Brimer and Cross campaigns to submit information for our Voters' Guide, just as we did for all candidates in the Guide. None of the three campaigns has responded to our repeated requests for information.
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