{Democrat} Stenholm gears up to duel {Republican} Neugebauer in {House} District 19

U.S. Rep. Charles Stenholm, a West Texas congressman for 26 years, kicked off his first-ever campaign in Lubbock on Tuesday vowing never to bow to partisanship at the expense of his constituents.

"I think one of the big issues in this campaign is going to be I'm an independent," the Abilene Democrat said. "I vote my district. I don't mind differing with my party. It appears that one of the differences is going to be a rubber stamp for (House Majority Leader) Tom DeLay's version of what the country ought to be versus one that will differ on issues important to West Texas."

Stenholm and Randy Neugebauer, a freshman Republican from Lubbock, were paired during congressional redistricting, which was orchestrated in Texas by DeLay and the state's GOP leadership.

Both men are on the House Agriculture Committee. Stenholm is the ranking minority member.

"The reason I ran for Congress in the beginning hasn't changed," Stenholm said. "I believe someone with a basic background and education in rural America would have something to offer to the United States Congress."

Stenholm and his wife, Cindy, shook hands and made their way through a packed crowd at the Merket Alumni Center. The event drew a crowd and enthusiasm rare for Democratic campaigns in conservative West Texas.

Democrats have rallied behind Stenholm, a target of Republicans seeking to bolster their numbers in the U.S. House through redistricting.

Stenholm believes he was targeted because he opposes the Bush administration's economic plan.

The administration is preoccupied with tax cuts without addressing the nation's true problems, such as a ballooning budget deficit and Social Security reform, said Stenholm, who authored the Balanced Budget Amendment that passed the House in January 1995.

Lubbock voters overwhelmingly vote Republican, but Stenholm said he has been winning Republican votes for 26 years.

Running in District 19 against Neugebauer was a tough decision, Stenholm said. Stenholm's Jones County farm was drawn into the 13th District. His Abilene home was moved into the 19th. He could have run in either district.

District 19, he said, is similar to the 17th District, which he now represents. It seemed a good fit for several reasons:

Stenholm and his wife are Texas Tech graduates, he has worked closely with Tech while in Congress, the region is heavily agricultural and his wife was born in Lubbock, he said.

Neugebauer said Tuesday he believes that during his seven months in office he has demonstrated his ability to represent West Texas. He was elected in a special election in June to replace Larry Combest.

Neugebauer said he represents the conservative values important to West Texas and has been able to get things done working with the White House, the vice president and congressional leadership.

Although he does not have Stenholm's experience in Congress, he said he has demonstrated skills in the past 30 years as a small businessman and confronted heavy taxation as a Lubbock city councilman. He also headed the coalition for the Ports-to-Plains Trade Corridor.

Neugebauer said he will not be a rubber stamp, and his chief concern is the people of his district. He said he has become engrossed in agricultural issues during his short time on Capitol Hill and serves on three subcommittees on the House Agriculture Committee.

"I don't care who you are. You can't replace 26 years of experience in one-half year," he said.

"I continue to be in a position to help a lot of people in West Texas and agriculture because of a lifetime knowledge of the industry, my voting record and my ability to get things done."

Stenholm pledged to make his way through all 27 counties in the 19th District, 14 of which he has represented at some point, by the end of February.

He said he intends to run a grassroots campaign similar to the one that helped get him elected in 1978. When he ran that year, he said, he thought he was well-known until a poll showed 94 percent of the people knew nothing about him.

Issues on the campaign trail will be his record, Social Security reform, Medicare, and health care, he said.

"I don't care who you are. You can't replace 26 years of experience in one-half year," he said.

Here in lies the reason Stenholm may be the biggest surprise winner in Texas come November 2004. Many voters do go for experience and the more familiar name. How can Neugebauer distinguish himself from Stenholm other than stressing party?

You can probably count on W for a few joint campaign appearances... my rough guesstimate suggests that for Charley to win, about 45% of the voters would have to split their tickets....is that likely?

You can probably count on W for a few joint campaign appearances... my rough guesstimate suggests that for Charley to win, about 45% ofnthe voters would have to split their tickets....is that likely?

All that experience and name ID got Stenholm a narrow 51-48 victory in 2002. The new 19th is only slightly less Republican than Stehnolm's old district, so I'd have to say Neugebauer is likely to prevail in what could be a pretty competitive race. Whatever experience and name ID Stenholm may have, it ought to carry less weight in this new district than it did in his old, which he barely won last time out.

The 19th was always democrat until Combest. He came in with Reagan against Mondale/Ferraro - running in an open seat (Hance resigned).

But it's not quite an open seat now - at least in areas where Stenholm has run before. It's more like you have two incumbents.

The key back then was doing well in the rural yellow-dog democrat areas. I'm don't how much the district has changed from then.

I think it will be tough against Stenholm. IMHO, it would have been best had Stenholm switched parties.

Anyway, to win, it might help Neugebauer considerably if the top of the ticket is Dean and Bush/Cheney can help tie Stenholm to the dem leadership.

Tip O'Neil was the big buggaboo back then and attacking him helped Combest win.

(Hance resigned).

Hance did not seek reelection to the House in 1984 because he was instead running for the DEMOCRAT senatorial nomination, which ultimately went to the liberal Lloyd Doggett, later and still a House member. Hance switched parties in 1985. He lost the 1990 Republican gubernatorial nomination to Clayton W. Williams, Jr. He later was a railroad commissioner. Now he is managing the reelection of Supreme Court Justice Steven Wayne Smith. Hance of course was the only Democrat who ever defeated George W. Bush in an election.

Yes, "resigned" was not accurate.

To add to your history post, George H.W. Bush was defeated by Lloyd Bentsen whose main attack was that Bush was too liberal for Texas.

:)

Rights, farms, environment ping.

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