Republicans vying for Texas House District 94

The Republican battle for a Texas House seat in west Arlington has become one of the hottest legislative races in the state.

This costly, controversial primary fight pits conservative incumbent Tony Tinderholt against establishment attorney Andrew Piel — and some say this race could serve as the litmus test to determine Tea Party influence in an election with a potentially record turnout.

“Tarrant County is ground central for Tea Party successes in the last election cycle or two,” said Harvey Kronberg, publisher of the Quorum Report, an Austin-based online political newsletter. “Part of that was because opponents were taken by surprise by the ferocious campaigns and anger of constituents as well as the level of organization by Tea Party advocates.

“This year, it appears nobody is surprised and their opponents have done opposition research,” he said. “It’s a no-holds-barred free-for-all.”

Tinderholt and Piel face off in the March 1 Republican primary to determine who will represent the central west Arlington district, which includes Pantego and Dalworthington Gardents.

At stake is a two-year term that pays $7,200 a year.

Early voting runs Feb. 16-26.

The incumbent

Tinderholt, a 21-year military veteran whose past included a bankruptcy filing in the 1990s and several marriages, unseated Rep. Diane Patrick in the 2014 GOP primary and won a fiery battle in the general election.

Many thought the 45-year-old director of recruiting and training would be a vocal dissenter in the Legislature last year, but political observers noted that he generally appeared to do what freshman lawmakers do — watch and learn.

“It makes sense that moderate Republicans would work to get rid of him,” said Julie McCarty, president of the NE Tarrant Tea Party. “Tony surprised them.

“They had hoped he would be a live wire and do himself in. Instead, he was tough when needed, but mostly just offered a reliable vote,” she said. “There’s nothing to hang him with and the voters in his district love him. They aren’t interested in going back to the poor representation they used to have.”

Recently, Tinderholt has been singled out as being one of five House members to oppose HB 189, which became law last year, that would extend the statute of limitations for civil suits against alleged sex offenders. He said he opposed the bill because it “eliminated due process protections in sexual assault cases where there is no physical evidence, increasing the likelihood of wrongful accusations.”

Tinderholt said he’s running for re-election “to serve the people of the district with true, Christian conservative values and principles while ensuring that government passes constitutional laws.”

If re-elected, he said his top priorities would include border security, education, protecting the sanctity of life, pushing back against federal mandates, securing the power grid in Texas, acknowledging that American laws should be used in American courts and “killing horrible liberal legislation that seeks to take advantage of taxpayers and citizens of the district and Texas.”

Tinderholt gained $14,125 in new donations last month, pushing his cash on hand to more than $100,000, according to the most recent reports filed with the Texas Ethics Commission. Among his donations: $2,500 from Midland oilman Tim Dunn, $2,000 from the Matt Krause Campaign and $1,000 from state Sen. Konni Burton, R-Colleyville.

He has received donations from the Empower Texans PAC, the NE Tarrant Tea Party PAC and billionaire Farris Wilks.

His endorsements include those from McCarty, GOP state Reps. Jonathan Stickland of Bedford, Bill Zedler of Arlington and Matt Krause of Fort Worth, Texas Eagle Forum President Cathie Adams and Tarrant County Commissioner Andy Nguyen.

“The establishment’s perceived power in Austin has no place in my representation of the district,” Tinderholt said. “I work well with others but have no problem standing up to them on behalf of the people in Arlington, Dalworthington Gardens and Pantego. I am the right person because I will not go along to get along.”

The challenger

Piel, a 43-year-old business and construction law attorney and a former Tarrant County assistant district attorney, said he jumped into the race after talking to people last year who were concerned about the current representation.

Piel, who worries about “the legislative competence of the incumbent,” said he’s the right person for the job, having been a conservative activist since 1997.

“I will bring a calm, mature and seasoned voice of conservative leadership that is missing from some Republican representatives in Tarrant County,” he said.

Piel’s campaign has received complaints from supporters about Tinderholt signs being placed in their yards. And his campaign notes that Tinderholt has missed at least three Republican campaign events or forums where Piel hoped to draw a contrast between them.

“Eventually my opponent is going to have to stop hiding from the voters of District 94 and explain why he was one of only five members of the Texas House and Senate to vote against a bill that would hold accountable violent criminals who sexually assault women and children,” Piel has said of Tinderholt’s vote on HB 189.

The main issues in this race, he said, include reducing illegal immigration, protecting personal and religious liberties, keeping taxes low, defending the Second Amendment, improving public schools and growing the Texas economy.

If elected, his top priorities would include working with locals to change the Education Code to give schools more flexibility to prepare students for well-paying careers in trades, pushing for workers on government construction projects to pass an E-verify check, finding new ways to reduce traffic congestion — particularly the “287/820/I20 interchange.”

Piel received nearly $16,000 in new donations last month, giving him more than $27,000 in the bank. He received $2,5000 from Charles Butt, of the H-E-B grocery store chain; $2,000 from Gary Martin, an Arlington teacher; $1,000 from the Dallas Police Officers PAC; and $1,000 from the Association of Texas Professional Educators PAC.

Piel has lined up supporters, including community leader Victor Vandergriff, former Arlington Mayors Robert Cluck and Richard Greene, former state Sen. Kim Brimer, Arlington school board President Jamie Sullins and board members Bowie Hogg and John Hibbs as well as TEXPAC, the political arm of the Texas Medical Association; the Texas Municipal Police Association; and the Dallas Police Association.

“Andrew Piel is a respected conservative and the only candidate trusted to work for the best interests of teachers and students,” Sullins said. “Over the past decade he has volunteered countless hours working to improve our schools, listening to the concerns of educators and doing everything he can to make sure our next generation has the academic tools they need to succeed.”

This story was originally published February 6, 2016 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Republicans vying for Texas House District 94."