Post-redistricting shuffling has meant two open seats for Tarrant County in the Texas House. In each of these May 29 primary races, the candidates present distinctly different characteristics.
Texas House District 95The Democratic nominee to succeed state Rep. Marc Veasey, who's running for Congress, will be either a civil rights veteran or the voice of a younger generation. The district encompasses downtown Fort Worth, parts of east and southeast Fort Worth, plus Forest Hill, Everman and Edgecliff Village.Jesse Gaines, 63, spent many years heading the regional legal aid office in Fort Worth and now is general counsel for the Tarrant County chapter of the NAACP, an organization he has long been involved with.Nicole Collier, 39, is a personal injury lawyer who finished high school, college and law school after being a struggling teen-age mother.Dulani Masimini, 38, is a substitute teacher and insurance salesman. Forest Hill residents voted him off their City Council in 2011 after the council killed a 2010 recall effort.All three candidates say they want to address education funding, job creation, economic development and transportation, areas that directly impact the district. Gaines has extensive experience in the tussles over redistricting, which will come up again in the 2013 session. But Collier makes an appealing candidate because of her personal story of having overcome adversity and dealing with challenges too many Texans face these days.The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Nicole Collier in the Democratic Primary for Texas House District 95.Texas House District 97There's an ugly undercurrent to the GOP race to replace state Rep. Mark Shelton, who's running for Texas Senate.Susan Todd, 63, a retired nurse and community volunteer, touts the slogan of "a healthier Texas," though some of her literature tosses out nuggets -- "protect gun owner rights," "supports Tea Party values" -- that are more red meat than prescription for improvement.She can identify problems -- a broken education funding mechanism, a healthcare system that leaves federal money on the table for lack of an adequate state match -- but is vague on solutions.It's disturbing that she's circulating exaggerated and potentially defamatory claims about Craig Goldman, who has worked as a fundraiser for former Sen. Phil Gramm and Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign. A flyer from Todd's campaign declares Goldman "guilty of resume fraud and tax fraud" and calls him the "Jack Abramoff lobbyist of Texas."Todd has complained to the Tarrant County district attorney's office that Goldman owned a Washington, D.C., home since 2005 but took a homestead exemption on his Fort Worth house while renting it out. Goldman said he moved back into the Fort Worth home in March and sold the Washington house the same month. Goldman, 43, said he bought the D.C. home while working for a lobbying firm he left at the end of October. He called the tax fraud allegation false.Whether the exemption was improper is something the DA's office won't sort out until after the election. Meanwhile, Goldman said he wants to eliminate "wasteful and needless programs" in Austin but wouldn't name any specifically.Chris Hatch, 65, a CPA and former Fort Worth school board member, offered more-specific ideas: Lengthen the school day; remove the mandate that every child go to high school so some can go into trade programs; base education funding on graduation rates instead of average daily attendance; start a state ministry of trade to keep and attract businesses.Todd's tactics cause misgivings, but of these three she best knows the district, which covers southwest Fort Worth and Benbrook. Based on that, the Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Susan Todd in the Republican Primary for Texas House District 97.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
