Zaffirini optimistic of party's future
BY ROBERT GARCIA
Times city editor
State Sen. Judith Zaffirini said Monday that Democrats were going to be "significant" in Austin because she strongly believes that Lt. Gov.-elect David Dewhurst will reach out and work with both parties.
Zaffirini's statements come after state Rep. Frank Yturria of Brownsville told the Brownsville Herald that his party's General Election victories have rendered the Cameron County Democratic delegation useless.
Zaffirini said it was disappointing to hear political leaders make such comments.
State Democrats have called Yturria's statement's "mean-spirited, arrogant, and terroristic rhetoric."
The Laredo senator said Yturria was probably speaking at an emotional moment, adding that statewide, Republican legislators would disagree with the statements "strongly."
"I can't speak for the House of Representatives because I never served there. However the Senate of the state of Texas is a bipartisan body. Very rarely does partisanship step in. It does in such issues as re-districting," she said Speaking of her two best friends in the senate, Zaffirini said, "one is Republican and the other a Democrat, one is a liberal, one a conservative, and we focus on the issues."
The senator added that the senate has a history of being bipartisan and focusing on the issues.
"Those statement don't reflect well on the people he (Yturria) supports. If he is a leading Republican, is that what he thinks of the people he supported?"
"Did you see any Democratic leaders go back and fight the counties that voted against them? No, that doesn't happen," she said.
"There are rare occasions that it does, and the people of Texans found out about it. But remember the people of Texas want what is right for Texas, and that includes all counties," the Senator explained.
"When the Democrats controlled the legislature, many Republicans were affected. The best example is Buster Brown who rose to be the second ranking senator and Republican, and he was very effective under a Democratic majority. It's a matter of issues," she added.
"I believe that Lt. Governor Dewhurst will reach out and work with both parties. He loves Laredo and has Laredo friends," Zaffirini said.
"There are times that I have agreed with some Republicans on issues more so than with Democrats. The best example I can give you is pro-life.
"I'm clearly and strongly pro-life, yet I'm a Senator."
Zaffirini recalled that then-Governor George W. Bush Jr. asked her to carry the pro-life bill, the Parental Notification Bill.
"I said no, and he was surprised and asked why? I told him the bill will come to my committee, and I want the gavel in my hand when that bill comes to my committee."
"I told him I trusted me with the gavel more than I trusted anyone else, and that bill has to come out from my committee. If I sponsor the bill, I can't preside during the hearing."
Zaffirini expects to be appointed to several committees by Gov. Rick Perry.
Come January, she will be the senior senator from the border and Bexar County that has four senators.
Zaffirini will be the fourth in seniority out of 31 senators, 19 Republican and 12 Democrats.
The senator said her staff is working hard, including this Veterans Day, because she is aiming to have one of the most productive legislative sessions ever.
"We'll have a successful session in terms of bipartisanship with different philosophies represented. We may not pass the bills that we intended to pass before. However, that is the result of the state elections. The philosophy in the legislature will reflect the philosophy of the people back home, and that is fair, " she said.
(City editor Robert Garcia can be reached at 728-2581 or by email at
robert@lmtonline.com.)