Campaign cash was hard to come by in January in Texas House District 46, which includes East Austin, but Rep. Dawnna Dukes still passed on an offer of $50,000 that came indirectly from House Speaker Tom Craddick.
"The contribution was available," Dukes confirmed Wednesday. But she said that she didn't want to be distracted by what she anticipated would be attacks by her opponent if she took the money and that she wanted to remain independent to support the speaker candidate that's best for the district.
Craddick has money to give, but he has become a lightning rod in primaries involving incumbents like Dukes who backed him during a tumultuous legislative session.
Last month, Democratic incumbents Aaron Peña of Edinburg, Kevin Bailey of Houston and Kino Flores of Palmview, all facing challengers from within their party, received $50,000 each from Texas Jobs & Opportunity Build a Secure Future, a political committee largely financed by Craddick's campaign account
