From the Next Generation Democrats BlogLadies and Gents, put your cork back in your champagne bottle, there is still one more election opportunity to pick up a seat this year, and that seat is going to be won by progressive Democrat Ciro Rodriguez (TX-23).
Next Generation Democrats is more than pleased to endorse Ciro Rodriguez for Congress in 2006. He is a true progressive candidate who matches up with our Values.
There has been some concern on the netroots about whether or not Ciro can win this, and I'm relieved to say that he can. He has graciously accepted help from the DCCC, many of our national stars are down there, and Ciro is on board with the program and doing what it takes to win.
The other day I received an e-mail from a resident of TX-23 that in part said
Bonilla is extremely vulnerable this year, and he may not necessarily be vulnerable in 2008. The special election next month is a great pick-up opportunity for the Democrats, and would be a major morale boost for Texas Democrats!Most of my neighbors and coworkers are conservatives, and many tend to vote Republican, but they are fed up with Bonilla. I have been pounding the pavement and making the rounds getting the word out about the lousy job Bonilla has done for this district. People here respect Ciro, and would be willing to give him another chance to serve our community. I have personally convinced many people to pledge their support for Ciro and put signs in their yards, etc.
Together with Ciro's traditional grass-roots support base, which is great at getting out the vote, I believe that our local online community can be the difference maker that pushes Ciro over the top. I am hoping that a small group of committed Netroots activists here in San Antonio, myself included, can help Ciro beat Bonilla by taking the campaign online, but again, we need help from the rest of the online community.
In brief Ciro's values include, but are not limited to; opposition to the war in Iraq before it started, calling out the Bush administration for cutting veterans benefits during a war while fighting to get those benefits and more for those brave men and women in uniform, developing water and environmental infrastructure along the border, truly improving education and allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices.
I wasn't familiar with this race, so I added this info.
AUSTIN - A runoff between Republican U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla and his Democratic challenger will be held on Dec. 12, Gov. Rick Perry said Tuesday.
Bonilla finished with 49 percent of the vote in the Nov. 7 special election. He will face former U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, who got about 20 percent of the vote.
Early voting will begin Dec. 4.
Eight candidates participated in the special election that was called after the U.S. Supreme Court found a portion of the congressional district boundaries unconstitutional.
The race advanced to a runoff because Texas law requires a candidate to receive a majority of the votes cast to win a special election.
This summer the Supreme Court ruled that the district, redrawn by the Legislature in 2003, violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting minority votes.
The boundaries were drawn again in August by a panel of judges, and the Hispanic voting-age population rose to 61 percent, from 51 percent in 2004. ***
Rodriguez served in Congress from 1997 to 2005. ***
Personally, I prefer Karen win the runoff against William Jefferson, corrupt members need to go, regardless of which side of the aisle they sit on. But I cannot speak for Next Generation Democrats as an organization without consulting with my colleagues.
I'll post another diary if we decide to take action in LA.