Northeast Texans hear explanation of Democratic walk-out
Spokesperson says redistricting would affect rural Northeast Texas

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

Bill Brannon, right, presented information throughout Northeast Texas last week regarding the main reason Democrats left Austin in mid-May. Brannon showed proposals of how the state would be divided up for congressional representation. -- Staff photo by Montgomery

May 29, 2003 -- When residents of Northeast Texas asked for an explanation of recent Democratic actions, their wish was granted when a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Max Sandlin (D-Texas) and Texas House Rep. Barry Telford held a press conference at the Bowie County Courthouse May 20.

The conference was intended to inform residents the main reason behind members of the House Democrats going to Oklahoma, and to show maps of how the proposed redistricting would affect East Texas.

Bill Brannon, district director for Sandlin and a political consultant for Telford, said leaving Austin was the only thing Telford and other Democrats could do to fight Texas redistricting.

Brannon was met in the courthouse foyer by the curious general public, as well as a group of vocal Republicans.

Brannon described the proposed redistricting plan would move congressional districts around, causing rural East Texas counties to be lumped in the same district as suburban Dallas-area counties. This plan, according to Brannon, would leave those counties at the mercy of Dallas and Republicans.

But when the House Democrats walked away from their jobs in Austin in mid-May, the plan could not advance because no quorum of legislators was present.

"The reason that these districts are suburban is because the Republicans intentionally want to maximize the number of Republican seats and diminish the number of Democratic seats," Brannon stated.

"The only way to draw in high numbers of reliable voting Republicans is drawing on the suburbs. You don't draw a district just to make it look funny. You draw these districts to serve the purpose in mind, which in this case, is more Republican seats."

Brannon opined the currently proposed maps were drawn to get rid of Democrats.

"You can't kill a congressman without killing the constituents, and that is just what this does," Brannon said.

The proposed maps would have changed congressional districts in East Texas. One of the maps that lawmakers are looking at would make Sandlin's current District 1, District 4. It would also mean Sandlin would have to move from Harrison County, where he currently lives, to one of the counties in his newly-redrawn district in order for him to run for re-election. The map would also split Cass, Smith and Gregg counties so that parts of those counties would be District 4 and the other parts a newly-formed District 2. (Maps can be viewed online at gis1.tlc.state.tx.us)

But, because the "Democrats ran for the hills," as one from the group of Republicans gathered at the press conference stated, the redistricting proposal would have to come up in a special session of the Texas legislature, if one is called.

"Do you know what a special session costs?" asked Marjorie Chandler, Bowie County Republican chairperson. "Up to $3 million."

Chandler, along with others representing the Republican Party, had questions for Brannon.

"What about all the bills that were killed (due to lack of action)?" she questioned. "This is not an issue of redistricting, but an issue of the bills that were killed. Bills about education, senior citizens, cloning; over 200 bills were killed."

Brannon's response: He was addressing redistricting, not killed bills. Brannon, though, speculated the bills would all be addressed.

"Why isn't Barry Telford here to defend himself?" asked another Republican.

"Barry is in Austin doing what he is supposed to be doing," was the reply from Brannon.

With Dallas already having "the votes" within the Texas Legislature, many citizens attending the conference were worried about the redistricting.

Billie Lindsey, from Red River County, said she didn't like it when the Democrats went to Oklahoma, but she understood.

"I am neither Republican or Democrat. I vote for the person," Lindsey said, "but it seems to me that they are taking these small and rural districts and putting them into a district with Dallas where Dallas is going to have us under their control. I didn't like that they ran off to Oklahoma either, but if that's all they could do to keep us from being under Dallas control, then that's fine with me."

"The main question here is what do you want your representative to do?" asked Brannon. "Do you want rural East Texas to loose their representation?"

One lady in the audience asked how do we, as East Texans, voice our opinions?

Brannon's reply: "Contact the governor, your representatives, and your senators."

Brannon also held similar press conferences in Pittsburg, Paris, Mount Pleasant, Clarksville and Sulphur Springs last week.

The regular session of the 78th Legislature ends June 2.