We recommend this Texas Democrat as best bet to take on John Cornyn for Senate
The dozen names on Texas Democrats’ U.S. Senate primary ballot offer just about every choice a voter could hope for, a field that’s diverse in terms of race, gender, age, political experience and business acumen.
As early voting comes to a close Friday and Tuesday brings the primary election, one candidate stands out in terms of proven legislative ability and a chance to unseat three-term incumbent John Cornyn, if things break the party’s way: state Sen. Royce West.
The 67-year-old DeSoto lawyer has represented southern Dallas County for 27 years, building a reputation as a serious center-left legislator. As he notes, Republicans have controlled the Texas Senate for nearly his entire career, so to be effective, West has developed a knack for bipartisanship that would serve him well in Washington.
West understands a lesson that many would-be lawmakers eschew in the age of partisan purity tests: A productive legislator takes what he or she can get and keeps coming back for more.
West cites bills he pushed that eventually led to creating body-camera guidelines for Texas police officers. He started with a bill requiring dashboard cameras in cruisers, and when officers (and West’s legislative colleagues) saw the benefits, he moved on to a measure for body cams. Now, they’re a vital tool for monitoring police behavior but also for exonerating officers, too.
He would bring that approach to issues such as health care. Instead of a direct rush to single-payer coverage, West advocates for fixes to the Affordable Care Act, such as a public option to allow Americans to opt-in to Medicare and measures to bring down prescription drug costs.
His moderation might not appeal to the most progressive voters in the party, but his electability should. No Democrat is likely to boot Cornyn from office this year, but it would be almost impossible for a far-left candidate to be the one to do it.
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Members of the Editorial Board, which serves as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s institutional voice, decide candidates and positions to recommend to voters. The members of the board are: Cynthia M. Allen, columnist; Steve Coffman, editor and president; Bud Kennedy, columnist; Ryan J. Rusak, opinion editor; and Nicole Russell, opinion writer.
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The Editorial Board interviews candidates, asking about positions on issues, experience and qualifications, and how they would approach holding the office for which they are running. Board members do additional research on candidates’ backgrounds and the issues at hand. After that, members discuss the candidates and generally aim to arrive at a consensus, though not necessarily unanimity. All members contribute observations and ideas, so the resulting editorials represent the board’s view, not a particular writer.
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West has the potential to appeal to voters across the board, particularly blacks and Hispanics. And while West’s fundraising will always lag the incumbent, he hopes to tap into nationwide networks that have helped minority candidates in other states.
This race is almost certainly headed to a May runoff, and one of the candidates who appears destined to take a spot is MJ Hegar. We were impressed with the Air Force veteran, a Purple Heart recipient who served three tours in Afghanistan. She’s led the pack in fundraising by far, and she might be the most well-known candidate after one of her videos went viral during a losing U.S. House campaign last year.
The 43-year-old from Round Rock is offering some of the toughest talk on Cornyn. She has the backing of the Senate Democrats’ campaign group, along with a veterans group airing TV ads on her behalf.
Noting her challenge to the military over allowing women in ground-combat positions and her work in health-care administration, Hegar calls herself a disrupter. And Congress could certainly use some disrupting. But Texas already has a senator who fits that description, Ted Cruz. It doesn’t need two.
Among the remaining candidates, campaign veteran Chris Bell is also a solid choice. Bell, who was the party’s nominee for governor in 2006, argues that he is prepared to hit the ground running in Congress because he served a term in the House from a Houston-area district a decade ago. But that experience pales to West, who can also tout many more successful campaigns.
Two other candidates are set up for promising futures in Texas Democratic politics. Amanda Edwards, 38, a lawyer who recently left the Houston City Council, is a sharp campaigner with a fairly centrist approach. Veteran political organizer Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez, 38, has the backing of several progressive groups, including labor and Latino activists. Both bring important perspectives to the contest, but the leap to the Senate would be a stretch.
Most of the rest of the Democratic candidates, while well intentioned, lack significant political experience and aren’t serious contenders.
On the GOP side, Cornyn faces four challengers he’ll have no trouble dispatching. Democrats contend he’s vulnerable in the general election, citing polls that show many Texans don’t have much opinion of him even after 18 years in the Senate.
Cornyn has been among Senate Republican leaders, but he’s shown a willingness to reach bipartisan deals. Neither would likely embrace the comparison, but his style and effectiveness are similar to what West has done in Austin.
If Democrats hope to beat Cornyn, they’ll need a candidate who can appeal to the center. Royce West is their best hope.
This story was originally published February 16, 2020 at 7:03 AM.