Southwest Fort Worth voters have two strong choices for Texas House. Here’s our pick
Let’s be honest: Some Texas House districts occasionally struggle to offer up a single strong candidate.
Voters in southwest Fort Worth’s House District 97 don’t suffer that problem. The parties yielded excellent nominees this year in Republican incumbent Craig Goldman and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Beck. It’s a close call, but we recommend voters stick with Goldman’s experience and leadership skills.
Goldman, a 52-year-old real estate investor seeking his fifth term, has steadily risen in the House. He could be a credible candidate for speaker, and in a closely divided chamber, he could help carry the mantle for compromise and build a bridge between Democrats and Republicans.
On one of the biggest issues to come up next year, health care, Goldman said during our joint interview with the candidates that he wants to look for a “Texas solution.” Beck, like other Democrats, strongly favors taking additional federal money under the Affordable Care Act to cover more Texans on the Medicaid program.
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.
That may be a good step, but there are problems in health care beyond lack of coverage, including affordability and transparency of pricing. Also, as Goldman noted, Texas Medicaid recipients have trouble finding providers under the program as it is. Goldman is thinking about the whole picture, and more lawmakers should do so.
There’s certain to be a big hole in the next state budget, thanks to the coronavirus recession and the dip in oil and gas business. Goldman understands that protecting public-education spending is a priority. During the last major budget crisis, in 2011, lawmakers cut funding far too deeply, and Texas school districts spent years trying to catch up. That can’t happen again. Goldman, unlike some in his party, also knows that the billions of dollars in the rainy day fund were meant for a time like this.
Beck, a 38-year-old Fort Worth lawyer, is a strong candidate — well grounded in the issues, articulate and principled without being unwilling to compromise. The district will be in good hands if she pulls off an upset win. If not, we’re confident she’ll be back on the political scene soon if she wants to be.
Her comments on charter schools during our interview were disappointing, though. She’s right that charters need to be properly monitored. But Beck came close to opposing the very concept of school choice, using the teacher union argument that public schools can’t afford to lose a dime. Competition is imperative, particularly in motivating large districts to innovate and respond to parents’ wishes.
As Goldman climbs the ladder in the House, some are detecting a hint of arrogance. His dismissal of questions about his business in our interview was troubling.
Goldman’s company moved in April to evict a tenant at an Arlington apartment complex he owns, despite a federal ban during the pandemic of evictions from certain properties, including the one in question. Goldman has said that the eviction was over lease violations other than failure to pay rent and has declined to elaborate because of ongoing legal action.
He bristled at the idea that his business record would even be an issue. While business disputes are tough to adjudicate during a campaign, voters can make up their minds how much weight to give the incident. Goldman should understand that scrutiny is part of politics, and it’s best to be transparent — as well as a little humble.
With a close partisan divide likely and difficult issues to address under tough circumstances wrought by the pandemic, Goldman is the kind of experienced lawmaker who can represent Fort Worth well and help lead the House in tough times.