Democratic party officials and local Democratic candidates are saying that a number of factors could combine to turn Dallas County into a Democratic-controlled county come November. Among those factors, they claim, are voter concerns over failures in the current county administration.

“We’ve had so many problems with the Commissioner’s Court,” said Dallas County Democratic Party Chair Darlene Ewing.

Ewing cited lawsuits, contractors walking off jobs, and issues with jail certification as being among the problems with the current Commissioners Court. When asked about the most important local issue facing voters in the county, Ewing said it was “accountability to the citizens of Dallas County”.

Several Democratic primary races are particularly contentious this year. Ewing mentioned Democratic primaries for the Dallas District Attorney and the County Clerk as two examples of highly contested primaries. She also said that large numbers of primary candidates usually translates into increased voter turnout.

“We have more options, more contested races, and a spirited DA’s race,” said Ewing.

Three candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Dallas District Attorney and four are running in the primary for County Clerk.

One of the hottest races of the year is for District Attorney.

“On the Republican side, you’re guaranteed a runoff. On the Democratic side, you can’t really tell what’s going to happen,” said Attorney Craig Watkins, who almost beat Bill Hill four years ago and is running again for DA this fall.

Democratic party leader Ewing said that current Dallas District Attorney Bill Hill’s decision to not seek reelection helps the chances of a Democrat winning the District Attorney’s race, but she also said that demographics in Dallas County are now on the side of the Democrats. According to Ewing, as long as Democrats can get out their vote, it shouldn’t matter which Republican was running for what countywide office. She believes Democrats will sweep the county this fall.

Republicans disagree. According to local GOP Chairman Kenn George, certain factors that helped Democrats in 2004 are absent from the 2006 election year. Martin Frost, who was very effective at turning out the Democratic base vote, is not on the ballot this year. Nor is there a Presidential race. According to George, this will make it harder for Democrats to turn out their vote in Dallas County.

“They don’t even have a Democrat running for Governor that can get on the radar screen,” said George.

Toby Shook, a Republican candidate for District Attorney, said that one of the factors that brought out the Democratic vote in 2002 would not be a factor in 2006. “Ron Kirk running for the U.S. Senate brought out the Democratic vote in Dallas County. Some Republicans voted for Kirk,” said Shook, referring to the U.S. Senate race that Kirk lost in 2002.

Ewing, though, thinks that Democrats in Dallas County could gain from the crossover vote. She mentioned that concerns on a number of national issues could influence more Republicans to vote for Democrats this year than in recent election years.

“I don’t think they want to be conned anymore by the Republican Administration,” said Ewing. Ewing mentioned Iraq and medical care spiraling out of control as national issues that could affect Republican turnout.

“Moderate, reasonable Republicans are offended by the direction that the party has taken. They don’t like being called disloyal because they have a difference of opinion,” Ewing added.

George disagrees. “How does that affect offices like Family Law Judge, County Judge, and the Commissioners Court?,” said George, referring to Democratic claims that President Bush’s approval rating and the GOP’s image will affect local races.

“Republicans are offended by the way the Democrats demagogued at the Roberts and Alito hearings,” added George.

Comments (0)

Comment	smaller | bigger
Name
Write the displayed characters
Subscribe via email (Registered users only) I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.
	Add Comment