Here’s our recommendation for voters in suburban Fort Worth district in Texas House
Voters in south Tarrant County have two pragmatic choices to fill their open Texas House seat.
It’s a close call, but we recommend Democrat Joe Drago, a Fort Worth lawyer, over former Mansfield Mayor David Cook, the Republican.
Drago would bring more of a fresh voice to the office, and his facility with the major issues facing lawmakers next year and beyond show the promise of an effective representative. (Libertarian Nelson Range is also on the ballot.)
The district, which covers Mansfield, Crowley and parts of south Fort Worth and south Arlington, has been a conservative stronghold represented by Rep. Bill Zedler, an Arlington Republican who is retiring. But like suburban districts everywhere, it’s changing. Voters want a strong emphasis on public education and common-sense solutions to problems such as health care, traffic and property taxes.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHey, who is behind these endorsements?
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.
Members of our Community Advisory Board may also participate in candidate interviews and offer their views, but they do not vote on which candidate to recommend.
Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
How does the process work?
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.
How do partisanship and ideology factor in?
We’re not tied to one party or the other, and our positions on issues range across the ideological spectrum. We tend to prefer candidates who align with our previously stated positions, but qualifications, temperament and experience are important, too.
In our joint interview with the candidates, Drago, 52, noted that it’s taken years just for schools to climb out of the cuts leveled in 2011 as a result of the Great Recession. He noted that lawmakers have several options even while dealing with a large expected budget shortfall, including federal pandemic relief funds, to avoid cuts to education and health programs.
Those are by far the two biggest categories in the state budget, so some cuts may be inevitable. But for someone who’s not yet in the Legislature, Drago shows a strong understanding of the choices ahead.
Drago also mentioned the need to close loopholes that let corporations cut their property tax bills, along with necessary changes to the appraisal process. Too many candidates offer up loopholes or waste as the answer to budgetary problems but aren’t able to identify specifics. That’s not the case with Drago.
On Democrats’ likely biggest policy priority, expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, Drago is fully on board, pitching it as one of the potential solutions to the budget shortfall. But he remains open to compromises that may be necessary if Republicans continue to fight expansion of the program.
Cook, a 49-year-old-lawyer, stepped down after five terms as Mansfield’s mayor to run for this seat. Bringing a local government perspective to the House would be valuable, as the Legislature threatens more steps to curtail the prerogatives of cities and counties. And his brand of pragmatic conservatism would be an upgrade over Zedler, a warrior on social causes.
But Drago would be part of what’s expected to be a larger change in the House. Even if Democrats don’t win a majority, there’s a good chance the chamber will be closely divided between the parties next year, meaning a coalition will be necessary to govern the House from the middle. Drago shows no signs of being a partisan warrior and gives every indication he’s ready to get to work.
Voters in District 96 should give him the chance to do so.