Photo: Rick Noriega
Rick Noriega's chances at the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate are looking very solid now that his opponent Mikal Watts has withdrawn from the race. What Noriega needs help with is fundraising, which unfortunately is the ticket to electoral victory these days.
We need to remember that Noriega was one of the main people who helped institute (and keep) in-state tuition for undocumented college students. If the DREAM ACT passes this Congressional session. scores of students Texas will be ready for permanent residency - having been able to attend college and graduate since 2001 because of Noriega's bill.
Its really important to remember the people that help the students. Plus, if he wins, maybe he'll take a few DREAM ACT college graduates with him to Washington.
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Politics
Oct. 23, 2007, 11:32PM
Noriega's race soars as Watts drops out
Democrat may get a clear shot against Cornyn
By R.G. RATCLIFFE and PEGGY FIKAC
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau
AUSTIN — The departure of San Antonio lawyer Mikal Watts from the U.S. Senate race Tuesday gives Houston state Rep. Rick Noriega a possible clear run for the Democratic nomination and a general election challenge to Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.
Noriega has a personal story of service in the Legislature and in the National Guard in Afghanistan that his campaign hopes could make him a compelling candidate against Cornyn.
But the question now is whether enough national Democratic campaign cash would make it into Noriega's coffers next year to give him a realistic shot at defeating Cornyn in what some describe as the reddest of the red states.
Noriega said he is not worried as much about how to run the campaign as to make sure it stays focused on "the junior senator," as he refers to Cornyn.
"I've got buddies dying. There are folks in Iraq who are on their third tour. I wish we could keep our eye on the ball," Noriega said Tuesday.
"My personal experiences and having walked the walk in a lot of these venues brings it home for regular Texans. Money is not the end-all," Noriega said. "We will have what we need to tell our story and tell regular Texans that the junior senator has done a poor job."
Noriega said Watts called Tuesday morning and said he had decided to withdraw from the race because of the strain it was putting on his family.
"Today, Mikal made a very difficult and personal decision to put his family first. That's a reflection of a strong character and a truly grounded leader," Noriega said. "Mikal and I made plans to sit down together in the next couple of weeks.
"In the meantime, I'll continue the campaign that we started together and fight for the vision for a better Texas that we continue to share."
Watts, a millionaire trial lawyer, had been attractive to national Democrats because he could largely self-finance a credible race against Cornyn without taking money away from Democratic candidates in other states.
On Tuesday, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's spokesman was hesitant to rush a voice of financial support to Noriega.
"Why would we want to tip our hand to John Cornyn?" said Matthew Miller.
Noriega said Sen. Charles Schumer of New York recently told him he thought any Democratic nominee would have a good chance of defeating Cornyn. DSCC polling this year showed a third of Texans polled could not identify Cornyn and his re-election numbers were below 50 percent.
Incumbent's reaction
Cornyn has declined to discuss Democrats in his re-election bid until a nominee is chosen, but campaign manager Rob Jesmer issued a statement Tuesday saying Cornyn "respects" Watts' decision to drop out.
Jesmer said Cornyn will continue "to work tirelessly on behalf of Texans advocating for lower taxes, less government spending, greater access to health care and stronger national security."
While Noriega currently is unopposed, the filing deadline is not until Jan. 2. Some Democrats have mentioned former Comptroller John Sharp and former Ambassador to Sweden Lyndon Olson, of Waco, as possible candidates. Noriega said he plans to continue campaigning as if he has an opponent.
Texas Democratic consultant Harold Cook said it is difficult for the national party leaders to make a financial commitment in Texas because the state is so large and has so many media markets. He said Texas has two votes in the Senate just like smaller states where seats can be won for a lot less money.
"I don't think there's a state in the nation where there's a smaller bang for your buck than Texas," Cook said.
To attract national money, he said, Noriega will have to prove between now and September 2008 that he has a decent chance of defeating Cornyn.
"The only thing you have to do to get on the DSCC's radar screen is to make yourself viable," Cook said.
In the 2002 campaign that put Cornyn in the Senate, Democrat Ron Kirk spent $8.8 million against Cornyn's $9.1 million. On top of that, the DSCC bought $4.5 million in ads for Kirk, while the Republican National Committee financed $4.1 million for Cornyn.
Watts had already committed $7.5 million of his own money to his campaign. Noriega raised $530,722 in the first three months of his campaign. Cornyn has $6.6 million in the bank.
Watts announced that he is dropping out of the race because of the pressure that campaigning has put on his family.
"After spending the last several months putting everything into this campaign, I have seen the toll this effort has taken on my young children. For these reasons, my wife and I have made the decision that I will not be seeking the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate in 2008," he said in a statement.
Says he's still committed
Watts said he still believes in the fight that prompted him to explore the race and will personally do everything possible to support the Democratic nominee.
While family issues may have taken a toll, Watts faced other problems in the primary.
Watts' stance as an anti-abortion candidate caused him trouble at numerous Democratic events. Last Friday, a man stood and booed him at a Democratic Party fish fry. Watts missed a Saturday Democratic dinner in Houston, where Noriega received a standing ovation while introducing Mayor Bill White.
Chronicle reporter Bennett Roth and San Antonio Express-News reporter John Tedesco contributed to this report.
r.g.ratcliffe@chron.com
pfikac@express-news.net
article: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/5240202.html
photo: http://www.austinchronicle.com/binary/3c02/noriega.jpg
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