Fort Worth House incumbent has 4 challengers. Here’s our GOP primary recommendation
Five candidates are running in the Republican primary in Texas House District 91, which encompasses Haltom City, North Richland Hills and the surrounding area. Unfortunately, only one can truly vie for the seat.
Four men are challenging Rep. Stephanie Klick for the seat she has held since 2013. Only Klick is prepared to be an effective representative for the district.
Klick, 65, of Fort Worth has been an effective conservative lawmaker for a decade, gradually gaining influence in the House.
A registered nurse for 35 years before getting involved in politics, Klick has a kind, calm personality and has been deeply involved in legislative work. Among the issues she has advanced is medical marijuana; in 2021, she authored a law expanding the conditions for which low-THC cannabis can be prescribed. It’s a go-slow approach, but it’s thoughtful and balances competing concerns.
Klick has been a leader on several committees, including as chairwoman of the House Public Health committee.
David M. Silvey, 22, of Richland Hills does not lack for conservative zeal, but he doesn’t seem ready for the responsibilities of a representative. He told us that his campaign had vowed never to take money from political organizations, a strong source of support for an incumbent such as Klick. When asked if he had in fact been offered any donations, Silvey’s response was vague.
Ben Damico, 52, of Fort Worth also offers passionate hard-right views. But he lacked some basic knowledge of campaign ethics rules and pushed unfounded theories about voting machines and a stolen election.
Neither Anthony Reed nor David Lowe attended our joint interview of the candidates.
Early voting starts Monday and ends Feb. 25 for the March 1 election. If no candidate wins outright, the top two will advance to a May runoff. With no Democrat seeking the post, the primary winner is all but certain to win in November’s general election.
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.
This story was originally published February 11, 2022 at 5:04 AM.