Craig Goldman's campaign for the Texas House has been five years in the making.
The Fort Worth Republican fundraiser, a former campaign strategist for Sen. John McCain and adviser to Sen. Phil Gramm, first ran in a 2007 special election but trailed both future District 97 winners, Democrat Dan Barrett and Republican Mark Shelton.Now, Goldman is 44 and brings added business experience to his campaign for the southwest Tarrant County seat vacated when Shelton chose to run for the Texas Senate.Goldman is campaigning as a conscientious cost-cutter. He criticizes Texas Republican lawmakers for under-budgeting for Medicaid and also for balancing the budget through what he called a loophole."We will not balance our budget that way ever again," he said.The current two-year state budget shorts Medicaid by about $3.9 billion in state funding and $6 billion in matching federal funds. Budget writers in 2011 took that step with the intent of making it up with a supplemental appropriation in 2013.Goldman's opponent is Fort Worth Democrat Gary Grassia, a restaurateur campaigning primarily to restore state funding for public schools like those his daughters attend in the Crowley district.He criticizes lawmakers' budgeting and says he has "problems with the whole lottery system" that helps fund education.Grassia is passionate, but he lacks Goldman's experience at government and budgeting.Fort Worth Libertarian Rod Wingo also is on the ballot.The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Craig Goldman for Texas House District 97.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
