Two Freshman Get Some New Year's Cheer
Several freshman Democrats in targeted races received a bit of good news over the New Year's holiday.
Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas), one of the more vulnerable freshman Democrats, will have the benefit of watching two Republicans duke it out for their party's nomination in what could be a bitter primary contest.
Bexar County Commissioner Lyle Larson announced this morning that he will be running in the Republican primary against wealthy attorney Quico Canseco, who has already spent over $200,000 of his own money on the campaign.
Larson has much political experience in the district, serving as county commissioner in Bexar County, the most populous part of the expansive west-Texas district, since 1996, and on the San Antonio City Council before that.
As a candidate with elective success in a Democrat-leaning county, he gives Republicans another credible candidate to run against Rodriguez. But at the same time, his entry in the race raises the prospect of an expensive and negative primary against Canseco that could bloody the eventual nominee.
Canseco has been in the race since last March, currying support from local officials and maintaining a full-fledged campaign schedule nearly one year before the primary. He also has been willing to spend sizable sums of money to raise his profile in the district.
Canseco ran unsuccessfully in the Republican primary in the neighboring district held by Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) in 2006.
In an interview with Politico this morning, Larson acknowledged that there was no way he could match Canseco dollar for dollar. But he also took an early swipe at his opponent for having no experience or ties to the district, previewing a theme that could emerge as the campaign heats up.
"People want to know a known commodity. People want someone who has represented them in some fashion," Larson said. "I was born and raised in this community. Mr. Canseco moved here a year ago and has not been involved in any public service and people realize that."
The winner will face Rodriguez, who upset former GOP Rep. Henry Bonilla last December. The newly reconstituted district still leans Republican (It was redrawn in 2006 to comply with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling). President Bush carried 57 percent of the vote there in 2004.
The primary is set for March 4.
Meanwhile, Rep. John Hall (D-N.Y.) saw one of his biggest potential GOP threats, state Assemblyman Greg Ball, decide not to run against him. He is now the second Republican to back away from challenging the first-term lawmaker.
Last November, well-funded businessman Andrew Saul, who had already spent over $200,000 on the race, abruptly dropped out of the race.
The only remaining Republican in the race is Iraq war veteran Kieran Michael Lalor, who is running his first political campaign. But he has yet to prove he can raise the necessary money and show the political savvy necessary to defeat the incumbent.
UPDATE: Canseco spokesman Todd Smith, in response to Larson's comments above, said that Larson is unelectable in a general election matchup against Rodriguez because he is not Hispanic.
"We think this is a very winnable district for Republicans - but only if the right nominee if chosen," said Smith. "This was a district that was designed to elect a Hispanic… we think it can elect a Hispanic Republican."
Smith added that Canseco's non-political background - he is a banker and attorney - makes him better equipped for the primary than Larson, who he dubbed a "professional politican."
"Being a professional politician and being part of the problem is not the strongest qualification for office. This is a change election, and I think they're looking for someone with a broad base of experience," Smith said.