Next March the voters in the Texas Democratic Primary will choose a Democratic nominee to challenge John Cornyn in the General Election for the seat he holds in the U.S. Senate. It will be a contested Primary; opposing candidates are already campaigning hard.
Rachel and I unequivocally support Lt. Col. and State Representative Rick Noriega.
Rick is a man of impeccable principle, honor, and courage. He served our country with honor and courage in a tour of military duty in Afghanistan. He served the community with distinction and competence as Houston Mayor Bill White's specially appointed director for the sheltering of Hurricane Katrina refugees.
For several terms as a representative to the Texas House of Representatives from a Harris County district he has served his constituents and his state as a reliable voice for level playing fields for working people.
I know Rick Noriega. He will be a U.S. Senator in the great populist traditions of the old Texas, the kind of U.S. Senator we haven't had the pleasure of having represent us in a long time.
The office of Senator Noriega will not be a private playground for the moneyed corporate elites as it is with Senators Cornyn and Hutchison. It will be an office for all the people. He will represent the people of Texas with honor, distinction, and integrity.
Rick's main opponent for the nomination is a wealthy, exceptionally skilled trial lawyer who has achieved spectacular success on behalf of injured parties in major class action lawsuits against the corporate manufacturers of dangerously defective products. I have nothing but respect for Rick's opponent for his courtroom successes and for the immense good his successes have done for his clients and for consumers.
But I have a problem with his message in the race for the Democratic nomination to challenge Cornyn, which is, "Nominate me because I have millions of dollars to spend against Cornyn."
This is a message that says the most important qualification for citizens offering themselves for public service is how much money they can bring to the table. This is a message that reinforces everything that's gone wrong in our political system. It is a message that expresses disdain for all our grassroots efforts and struggles to restore the rule of the people in place of the rule of money.
This is not a matter of choosing between second choices. Rick Noriega would have my support no matter who his Primary opponent was, because Rick is an unequivocal FIRST choice. Rick Noriega has the right qualifications, the right convictions, the right experience, the right courage, and the right heart.
He refuses to be deterred by having to overcome big money to rise to the challenge to replace the Bushite puppet John Cornyn with a people's representative. Rick is not a wealthy man. He is a community servant. Thus the extent of his resources will be determined by what we the people are willing to contribute.
To show that Rick has the people-power behind him, I've joined the drive to sign up 800 donors to his exploratory campaign in four weeks. That equates to 200 donors a week, 29 a day. If you will join this drive, your donation will help change the equation. This Senate race has the potential to change Texas; and as Texas goes, so goes the country.
David Van Os
