Ortiz, Hutchison cross swords (Texas)

Caller-Times ^ | March 6, 2005 | Brad Olson and Tara Copp

[SwinneySwitch]

Local representative lobs criticism at senator over Packery Channel, Valley

Three angry letters Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison never received speak volumes about the discord between her and U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz.

The letters attack her for favoring a Corpus Christi project at the expense of one in Brownsville. One letter plays the ethnicity card:

"I know it's not because there's mostly Hispanics in the Valley is it? No, surely that's not it. I am, however, curious."

The "I" was supposed to be a Valley constituent. Ortiz's chief of staff, Florencio "Lencho" Rendon, distributed the letters, intending to find others to sign and mail them in a letter-writing campaign. Rendon says he did not write the letters.

They shed light on the difficulties between Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, and Hutchison, Texas' senior Republican U.S. senator.

Neither say they want a bad relationship. Both lawmakers are frustrated by the other's actions, which each sees as going against the areas' constituents.

Says Hutchison: "I've always had a great working relationship with the members of Congress. This is an unusual situation."

Says Ortiz: "Courtesy is a two-way street. It doesn't run just one way."

Relations improved

Ortiz does say the relationship has improved recently.

"Sometimes the dynamic between lawmakers includes peaks and valleys," he said in a written statement. "Currently, my relationship with Sen. Hutchison is one of great respect. We have a good working relationship."

In recent examples: The Corpus Christi Packery Channel and Brownsville's Brazos Island Harbor dredging projects; Brownsville's upcoming West Rail Project, and the Intracoastal Waterway; Ortiz pushed one way, Hutchison pushed another. Both say they were helping residents who reached out to them, and that the other is out of touch.

[SwinneySwitch]

"Courtesy is a two-way street. It doesn’t run just one way." U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi

Rep. Ortiz is a winner of Rush's Katie Couric Award for asking the stupidist questions.

[SwinneySwitch]

E-mails sent from the account of Ortiz's chief of staff indirectly accuse Hutchison of unfairness in the projects she supports.

[Dog Gone]

Ortiz is an idiot.

[Columbus Dawg]

Didn't Ortiz benefit financially from the dealings at the Port of Corpus Christi?

Ortiz has been around for too long. It's time for someone new in south Texas.

[SwinneySwitch]

South Texas 'Rat Politics!

Please let me know if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.

[SwinneySwitch]

Being the Senior Texas Democrat has gone to his head!

He might even think he could be senator one day.

Quién sabe?

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Ortiz has been around for too long. It's time for someone new in south Texas."

---

True, but Solomon Ortiz actually has the best voting record among Hispanic Democrat Congressmen. He is solidly pro-life and has made some other moderate-to-conservative votes. His voting record is markedly more conservative than that of Chet Edwards, for example.

When Ortiz finally retires, the GOP has a pretty good chance of winning the House seat. President Bush carried the CD with about 52% or so in 2004 and a Hispanic Republican could win it for us. Unfortunately, Ortiz is grooming his son to take over when he retires, but perhaps we can convince the son (assuming he's at least as conservative as his father) to run as a Republican.

[SwinneySwitch]

Solomon Ortiz's ACU rating in 2004 was only 28; Edwards had a 48!

The Texas Republicans were all 91 or better, except for Ron Paul, 78, and new Pubie, Ralph Hall, 84.

Republican Henry Bonilla was 92.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Solomon Ortiz's ACU rating in 2004 was only 28; Edwards had a 48!"

---

That was in 2004. In 2003, Ortiz had an ACU rating of 56, and Chet Edwards had a 40, and in 2001 Ortiz had a 60 and Edwards a 40. Every couple of years ACU selects fewer social-issue votes for its ratings and screws socially conservative Democrats such as Ortiz, Ike Skelton of MO, Marion Berry of AR, Tim Holden of PA, etc. This was the case in 2004, 2002 (when Ortiz got a 25 and Edwards got a 36) and 2000 (when Ortiz got a 24 but Edwards did even worse---an 8!); in 1999, Ortiz got a better-than-average-for-a-Democrat 32, and Edwards again got an 8.

Solomon Ortiz votes consistently more conservative than Chet Edwards on moral and family issues, which is why his ratings from the Christian Coalition are always much higher than Edwards': In 2004, for example, Ortiz scored a 54 and Edwards a paltry 23. Ortiz's 54 was higher than so-called conservative Texas Democrat Congressmen Sandlin, Turner, Lampson and Green.

[kittymyrib]

Oh, but the lying dog Chet Edwards was George Bush's best friend and supporter and TERRIBLY conservative during the last election. He totally fooled many voters who didn't bother to find out that he votes with Kennedy must of the time. He needs to LOSE next year.

[AuH2ORepublican]

I agree 100% with what you said. Chet needs to be taken out like yesterday's garbage.

[SwinneySwitch]

Ortiz might be a hispanic DINO, but he could never make a good RINO. There are no conservative Texas democrat congresscritters, IMHO

[Columbus Dawg]

I think some south Texas Democrats will have a lot to say about Solomon's son taking over. He will not change parties. He is chairman of the Nueces County Democrat Party.
I do agree that it needs to be a Hispanic Republican to run the next time it is open. It needs to be someone who was in the military as well.