Be Careful Of "Ex"-Republicans Masquerading As Democrats-- That ALWAYS Turns Out Badly

We've been talking about TX-21 for over two years now. Blue America backed Berniecrat Tom Wakely, who defeated a Democratic establishment candidate in the primary and then went on-- with no support from the DCCC or the establishment and very little money-- to hold long-time Congressman Lamar Smith to his lowest win number ever. The district, which stretches from just south and west of UT in Austin, down through the suburbs south of Austin, through San Leanna, Buda, western San Marcos, northern New Barunfels, to the Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, Castle Hills. Olmos Park sections of San Antonio right down to Government Hill-- with a detour west into the Hill Country (including Fredericksburg, Kerrville, Boerne, Bandera and Medina, was drawn by Tom DeLay for only one reason: to be safely red. The district had given Romney a 60-38% win over Obama. Last year Trump beat Hillary, but less so-- 52.5% to 42.5%. Smith spent $1,718,933 against Wakely's $70,407 for a 202,967 (57%) to 129,765 (36%) win. Once Wakely had beaten the rich, more conservative candidate in the primary, the DCCC-- as they usually do-- walked away from the district and refused to help give Smith a run for his money.

This year Smith's seeming determination to make himself the worst science denier-- especially when it comes to climate change-- in the country. That's a problem because he's the chairman of the House Science Committee, which he routinely uses as a platform to advancer his crackpot anti-science conspiracy theories. (He's an all-in Christian Scientist.) Today HuffPo tried, for the first time, to seriously cover the campaign there, although they screwed up by elevating a ridiculous self-serving PAC called 314 which pushes scientists or people claiming to be scientists regardless of whether they are conservatives or progressives-- more less-than-worthless identity politics bullshit.

First elected in 1986, Smith is the 14th-longest-serving member of the current U.S. House. The San Antonio native has received more than $700,000 from the oil and gas industry over those years. In his five years as chairman of the science committee, he has worked to defund climate research and harassed federal climate scientists, whom he has accused of playing “fast and loose” with data. He has also sprinted to defend the fossil fuel industry-- namely Exxon Mobil Corp.-- from investigations into their own records on climate change and used his power to push his own anti-science agenda, stacking hearings with coal and chemical lobbyists and climate skeptics.

Days after Trump’s inauguration, Smith drew backlash when, on the floor of the House, he claimed that it is “better to get your news directly from the president. In fact, it might be the only way to get the unvarnished truth.”

In going through the candidates, Huff Po "neglected" to mention that the conservative establishment candidate, multimillionaire Joseph Kopser is nothing but another "ex"-Republican trying to sneak into Congress pretending to be a Democrat. (The DCCC has at least a dozen of these garbage candidates in it's quiver this cycle.) If you'd like to help Tom Wakely win this race, please consider contributing to his campaign by tapping on the ActBlue thermometer on the right. Here's the HuffPo candidate descriptions:

• Tom Wakely, a 63-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran and former minister. He is also a former union organizer and currently runs a hospice out of his San Antonio home. Smith defeated Wakely in the 2016 general election.
• Derrick Crowe, a 36-year-old climate activist and progressive organizer. A resident of Austin, Crowe has roughly six years’ experience working on Capitol Hill. In a recent interview with HuffPost, Crowe said he couldn’t sit back and watch Smith deny climate change and threaten future generations.
• Ryan Allen, an emergency physician in Austin. On his Crowdpac fundraising page, Allen says that Smith and Trump have “declared a war on truth” and the scientific community, and that “it’s time to bring smart, compassionate leadership back to Congress.”
• Joseph Kopser, an aerospace engineer and Army veteran from Austin. Kopser told PBS NewsHour this week that, although Smith is a “nice gentleman,” he “has a view toward science and technology that is not helpful in terms of where our economy is going.”
• Rixi Melton, a mother, community leader and small-business manager in Austin. Melton is “passionately committed to protecting and serving those who don’t have a voice” and ready to take on an incumbent “who doesn’t represent the interests of most of his constituents,” she writes on her Facebook page.
• Scott Sturm, a paramedic in New Braunfels. On his Crowdpac fundraising page, Sturm writes that he is running to “be an advocate for the people who need it most” and to fight against a system that “favors the big corporations and the wealthy.”
• Mary Wilson, a former mathematics teacher and the pastor of a Baptist church in Cedar Park. At a recent candidate forum, Wilson said she was inspired to run after hearing Smith say Trump was the best place to get the “unvarnished truth.” “I realized now is the time for people to speak up, stand up-- and stand up for truth,” she said.
• Chris Perri, an Austin-based criminal defense attorney. Perri told HuffPost in a recent email that Smith’s “corporate-pandering, science-denying” policies “disregard the well-being of his constituents,” and that it’s time voters elect a new leader so they can “start receiving actual benefits in exchange for their hard-earned tax dollars.”
• Elliott McFadden, a resident of Austin who has spent his career working for progressive causes including affordable housing and access to health care. He is currently the executive director of a nonprofit bike-sharing program. McFadden is running to “restore Congress as an equal and independent legislative body, reform our electoral system so it will reflect the voice of voters, and invest in our people so we can all enjoy our country’s prosperity,” he writes on his campaign website.

The worry among progressives in Austin and San Antonio is that the mostly progressive field will split the vote so badly that the conservative Kopser will self-fund his way into the nomination-- and the turn off grassroots Democrats with his Republican-lite approach. For example, although the clowns at 314 call him a "scientist" (rather than a venture capitalist), he's a "scientist" who advocates for fracking. At the May 1 candidates forum in San Marcos, all the Democrats pledged to not accept PAC money but the Republican (Kopser) refused, of course.