- indicates a known anti-gun
candidate
This document contains the Candidates for Congressional, State-wide,
and appellate court races, organized by district. Click here to
find out what legislative districts
you are in.
Legend:
- indicates a known anti-gun
candidate
- indicates our volunteer's
choice as the most pro-firearm candidate in the race
Note: Unopposed candidates are not covered.
REP: Dennis Boerner
Occupation: Self-Employed
Incumbent? N
Analysis: GOA gives this candidate
a grade of "B." This is a tough race to choose, so we
make no recommendation for you, but we will set out the pros and
cons of each candidate. NRA rates both candidates in this race
an "A." If we want to keep the Republicans in control
of Congress, then perhaps it would be best to vote for Mr. Boerner.
DEM: Max Sandlin
Occupation: U.S. Representative
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: This candidate did not respond to
the GOA questionnaire. He is rated
"A" by the NRA too, but he gets the endorsement because
the NRA endorses--as they virtually always do--incumbents,
in an attempt to continue to curry favor and influence with the
incumbent, since odds are that the incumbent will win. However,
we also note that NRA has been known in recent years to hand out
"A" ratings like candy, even to anti-gun incumbents,
so that rating is not very reliable anymore.
REP: Brian Babin
Occupation: Dentist
Incumbent? N
Analysis: GOA gives this candidate
a grade of "A." From our 1996 survey, Mr. Babin indicated
that he owns pistols, rifles, and shotguns. He clearly understands
the intent and purpose of the Second Amendment; he opposes waiting
periods on 10th Amendment grounds; he supports repeal of the ban
on semi-automatics; and he demonstrates good knowledge of guns
and gun control issues. For example he wrote, "Assault weapon
is a confusing term that roughly applies to semi-automatic weapons
which includes many sporting and hunting firearms," and "I
feel that firearms should be readily accessible to law abiding
citizens. Violent crime decreases in the presence of trained,
armed law abiding citizens," (his emphasis). Rated "A"
by TSRA in 1996. His web page
that year stated, "I am opposed to: . . . Gun Control . .
." There is no mention of gun issues this year. He is rated
"A" by NRA.
LIB: Wendell Drye
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions.
DEM: Jim Turner
Occupation: U.S. Congressman
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: This candidate did not respond to
the GOA questionnaire. TSRA
rated him a "B" in 1996. There is really sparse information
on for this candidate, which is his own fault. He obviously wants
to duck the gun issue. He is rated "B" this year by
NRA.
REP: Sam Johnson
Occupation: US. Congressman
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Rated "A" by TSRA
in 1996. Mr. Johnson has a perfect voting record on gun issues.
For example, he voted for every pro-gun amendment and against
every anti-gun amendment to all gun bills that came up during
his time in the House. He even voted for both the Chenoweth and
Istook amendments. He voted against the semi-auto ban and against
the 1994 Crime Bill at every procedural vote that had a chance
of killing it. This is a proven track record. GOA
gives this candidate a grade of "B-." He is rated "A"
by NRA.
LIB: Ken Ashby
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. Ken Ashby feels that government has failed
to achieve anything positive with its regulation of firearms and
feels that we would all be better off if it simply quit the business
entirely and that the BATF is not needed. He sees the Second Amendment
as a guarantee of the right of individual citizens to keep and
bear arms, and he notes, correctly, that one need not be a member
of a state-sanctioned militia to have a right to bear arms. Ashby,
a very soft spoken candidate, thinks too much hysteria has been
generated about the firearms issue, and he proudly reports that
he accepts no money from political action committees.
REP: Jim Lohmeyer
Occupation: Physician
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Our volunteer noted: "Never available to come to
phone despite repeated calls." This candidate
did not respond to the GOA questionnaire
either. We do not recommend voting for people who refuse
to share information about their opinions on the issues. He is
rated "A" by NRA.
LIB: Jim Simon
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions.
DEM: Ralph M. Hall
Occupation: U. S. Representative
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Hall is a staunch pro-Second
Amendment Congressman. On his questionnaire in answer to the section
asking his interpretation of the Second Amendment, he wrote: "You
must be aware of my complete opposition to any type of gun control."
His pro Second Amendment voting record was confirmed with his
staff. Although he has a good pro-gun voting record (he voted
against Brady, for the Staggers amendment to Brady, and against
the semi-auto ban and against the 1994 Crime Bill), he did vote
against the Istook amendment in 1995. But his otherwise spotless
record and incumbency make him a good ally. He is Rated A+ by
TSRA, and GOA's
stricter standards land him a B. NRA rated him an "A"
in 1998, and gives him their endorsement as well.
REP: Pete Sessions
Occupation: U.S. Congressman
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Sessions is a fighter for you gun rights, and a
sorely needed one at that. He came and spoke at a pro-gun rally
at the State Capitol that we organized in 1994; he seems to be
a committed fighter for your gun rights, and is willing to advocate
same whenever he can. He is opposed to gun control in principle,
and has all of the pro-gun endorsements from NRA, TSRA,
and GOA, etc. Great guy too.
LIB: Michael D. Needleman
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions.
DEM: Victor M. Morales
Occupation: Teacher
Incumbent? N
Analysis: In his bid for Senator in 1996,
he failed to respond to our mailed questionnaire and a
phone call to his campaign. However, he did reveal his views on
gun control in response to the press, in which he is quoted saying,
"I personally have a handgun and have no intention of giving
it up. However, although I am not sure of the effects of the Brady
bill and assault weapon ban on crime, I would have voted for the
Brady bill and voted to continue the assault weapon ban to attempt
to have an effect on criminal acts with weapons." In June
after the March primary that year, his language got a little stronger:
"I am for the Brady Bill. I'll tell the truth that I am for
that assault-weapon ban. . . . I have a gun. I'm not happy I have
one, to tell the truth." (Quotes from the Austin-American
Statesman). NRA has not done their homework on this candidate;
NRA merely gives him a "?" on its voter guide.
REP: Joe Barton
Occupation: Member of Congress
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Barton did not respond to our questionnaire in 1996.
That's likely because incumbents prefer to "run on their
record." We checked his record and note that he voted against
the Brady Bill and for all of the pro-gun amendments that were
offered to it. He voted against the semi-auto ban in 1991 and
1994 and against the 1994 Crime Bill at every procedural vote
that could have killed the bill. He voted for both the Chenoweth
and Istook amendments in 1995. He even voted against the recent
re-enactment of the federal "gun-free school zones"
law and the new "misdemeanor gun ban." This is a perfect
voting record. We cannot ask for better than Mr. Barton! He is
rated "A" by NRA too.
LIB: Richard A. Bandlow
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions.
DEM: Ben B. Boothe
Occupation: President, Ben B. Boothe & Assocs.
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Our volunteer noted: "Repeated
phone calls; got only a recording; no calls returned. I left a
message to call in a fax number to my answering machine."
This candidate did not respond to the GOA
or the NRA questionnaires either. That is a pretty good indicator
that he is anti. Besides, why vote for people who refuse
to share their opinions on the issues?
REP: Bill Archer
Occupation: US Representative
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Rated "A+" by TSRA,
but a "C" by the more stringent standards of GOA,
Mr. Archer in our opinion has a good voting record on the major
bills, but not very good on the bills that only incidentally affect
your gun rights, like the Chenoweth amendment, Gun Free School
Zones Act, and the misdemeanor gun ban. However, he did vote for
the Istook amendment to defund groups that use your tax dollars
to push for more gun control. A pretty good voting record all
considered. Thus, we think Mr. Archer deserves to stay in office.
He is also endorsed by GTSC.
LIB: Drew Parks
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions.
REP: Kevin Brady
Occupation: U.S. Congressman
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: We get very conflicting information about Mr. Brady,
and he has done nothing to help clear matters up. He did not respond
to our inquiries in 1996. A staffer at NRA told our volunteer
that he was very anti-gun, because, as a state legislator he voted
against the Right-to-Carry law and for each anti-gun amendment
that was offered to the carry bill. Furthermore, Houston pro-gun
friends have also told us that Mr. Brady is no friend of gun owners.
Yet the TSRA gave him a rating
of "B" in 1996, and he is endorsed this year by GTSC
and he is rated "B+" by NRA, which is too generous in
our opinion. It would appear that these groups want to curry favor
with an incumbent by supporting him instead of throwing their
support behind a better, but less electable, Libertarian Party
candidate. Still, all things considered, at best we think he is
a dangerous gamble for your pro-gun vote.
LIB: Don L. Richards
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. LP candidates were
not chosen at the time of the GOA
survey either. However, this is a race in which it is wise to
vote Libertarian to send a message to Republicans everywhere that
they cannot continue to receive the pro-gun vote yet treat gun
owners as an embarrassing step child, (it was the Republican Congress,
remember, that re-enacted the Gun Free School Zones Act, passed
the Lautenberg "misdemeanor" gun ban, and affirmed various
Clinton nominated gun-haters for
important positions on the federal bench and the executive branch
like David Satcher as Surgeon General).
REP: Tom Cottar
Occupation: sales
Incumbent? N
Analysis: GOA gives this candidate
a grade of "A." Our volunteer failed to follow through
with this candidate, so we apologize for not having more information
on him. We note that NRA did give him a grade of "A."
Based on his opponents' information, however, this race is still
an easy choice if you value your firearms freedoms.
DEM: Nick Lampson
Occupation: U.S. Representative
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Lampson failed to respond
to our 1996 questionnaire (and to NRA's). When our volunteer called
Mr. Lampson to try to interview him, Mr. Lampson asked what the
purpose was, and once he was told the reason for the call was
to ask his views on the Second Amendment, Mr. Lampson immediately
said, "Can I put you on hold?" and then passed the phone
to a campaign worker who refused to answer questions but instead
stated that she was in charge of answering questionnaires, and
would fill out one if we would fax it over. We faxed one over,
but it was never returned. By asking around, we found out from
someone who had known Mr. Lampson for many years that Lampson
is anti-gun. Lampson used to be Jefferson County's Tax Assessor-Collector;
according to our source "he's the kind who will say anything
to get elected and then vote totally different," (this info
provided by a pro-gunner in this district). From all this we conclude
that Mr. Lampson does not wish to be known as anti-gun, and would
like to keep that fact a secret from his constituents, because
he comes from a strongly pro-gun district in East Texas. GOA
rates him a "D." NRA has been known to hand out "A"
ratings to anti-gun incumbents in recent years in an attempt to
buy access and influence with the person they feel is most likely
going to win. Mr. Lampson is an example of this. NRA rated him
an "A," and gave him their endorsement.
DEM: Lloyd Doggett
Occupation: U.S. Representative
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Doggett has been and will continue
to be a thorn in the sides of gun owners. Mr. Doggett is
as anti-gun as they come. He has a long history of attacking your
gun rights from his days in the State Legislature. He made sure
to be on hand to welcome Sarah Brady when she came to Austin in
1994. His votes as a freshman Congressman show a particular hostility
to gun owner's welfare. For example, he voted against HR 666 (giving
broad new power to federal police to conduct searches that are
illegal, if the searches were done "in good faith" belief
that they were legal), which was a good thing, but when an amendment
was offered to HR 666 to except the BATF from it's provisions
(not allowing BATF to use the "good faith" search law),
he voted against it. He also voted against both the Chenoweth
and Istook amendments. He is rated "F" by NRA and TSRA.
GOA gives him a grade of "F-".
LIB: Vincent J. May
Occupation: Carpenter
Analysis: Mr. Vincent May would do a much better job at protecting
all of your rights than the incumbent Mr. Doggett. Mr. May is
a committed firearms rights supporter. This volunteer met with
Mr. May personally and discussed firearms rights issues thoroughly
with him. He cares about freedom in general, and was quite amicable.
He impressed me as a intelligent, thoughtful and principled person.
His support extends not only to the Second Amendment, but to the
rest of the Bill of Rights, as is consistent with the official stand
of the Libertarian Party.
DEM: Chet Edwards
Occupation: U.S. Representative
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Edwards did more than
most to help pass the ban on semi-automatics in the House of Representatives
back in May of 1994. Not only did he vote for the ban both in
1991 and 1994, but during the debate on the House floor he convinced
other Representatives to vote for the ban by making a point of
the fact that he had voted for a similar gun ban in 1991 and that
he was re-elected by a wide margin in 1992. He stated that if
the pro-gun vote could not harm him in a conservative Texas district,
then his colleagues had little to worry about. Considering that
the bill passed by only one vote, his speech probably made the
difference. And boy did he mislead his friends, as the Democrats
lost over 20 seats that year because of the gun ban they passed
into law. GOA gives him a grade of
"D". NRA rates him an "F," which is defined
in the NRA guide to mean he is a "proven enemy of gun owner's
rights. A seriously anti-gun candidate who always opposes gun
owners' rights, and/or actively leads anti-gun legislative efforts."
From Central Texas no less. Believe it or Not.
LIB: Vince Hanke
Analysis: You cannot really go wrong voting for a libertarian
in a race with an incumbent like this one. The
position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions.
REP: Kay Granger
Occupation: Congresswoman
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: This candidate did not respond to
the GOA questionnaire. She did not
return our questionnaire in 1996 either, but in a phone interview
with our volunteer that year, she stated that she would vote to
repeal the semi-auto ban but was unsure about the Brady Law. When
it was explained to her that the Brady Law is not uniformly applied
across the country she stated that she would vote to repeal it.
She said she would vote against the national concealed carry initiative
as she believes that that is the business of the states. She was
rated "A" by TSRA
in the 1996 election, but it is rather clear to us that she is
not very knowledgeable on gun rights issues, nor very devoted
to them. We feel she is the kind of politician that would desert
us when the going got tough. She is rated "A" by NRA
this year.
LIB: Paul Barthel
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Nor were LP candidates
included in the GOA survey. This is
a race in which it is wise to vote Libertarian to send a message
to Republicans everywhere that they cannot continue to receive
the pro-gun vote yet treat gun owners as an embarrassing step
child, (it was the Republican Congress, remember, that re-enacted
the Gun Free School Zones Act, passed the Lautenberg "misdemeanor"
gun ban, and affirmed various Clinton nominated gun-haters
for important positions on the federal bench and the executive
branch like David Satcher as Surgeon General).
DEM: Tom Hall
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: This candidate did not respond to
the GOA questionnaire. We have no
information about him. He is rated "D" by NRA.
REP: Mac Thornberry
Occupation: Rancher/Attorney
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Thornberry has been a rather solid supporter of
your gun rights in Congress, although GOA
only rates him with a "C." However, careful analysis
of his voting record reveals that he has voted very good on bills
that were straight up and down on the gun issue. The problem with
Thornberry has been on the bills that incidentally affect your
gun rights, like increasing the budget and powers of the BATF,
and the misdemeanor gun ban and gun free school zones laws that
were added to a 1996 budget bill.
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey, so they were not included therein. This is a race in which
it is wise to vote Libertarian to send a message to Republicans
everywhere that they cannot continue to receive the pro-gun vote
yet treat gun owners as an embarrassing step child, (it was the
Republican Congress, remember, that re-enacted the Gun Free School
Zones Act, passed the Lautenberg "misdemeanor" gun ban,
and affirmed various Clinton nominated gun-haters
for important positions on the federal bench and the executive
branch like David Satcher as Surgeon General).
DEM: Mark Harmon
Occupation: Associate Professor
Incumbent? N
Analysis: This candidate did not respond to
the GOA survey. But we note that NRA
give him a rating of "F," which is defined in
the NRA guide to mean he is a "proven enemy of gun owner's
rights. A seriously anti-gun candidate who always opposes gun
owners' rights, and/or actively leads anti-gun legislative efforts."
REP: Ron Paul
Occupation: Physician
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Your gun rights are safe with this guy-you don't even
have to worry about keeping an eye on him because he is a man
of principle and commitment to individual rights and limited government,
the way our nation was intended to be. You will not find a more
vocal advocate either. He has sponsored legislation to repeal
the 1994 semi-auto ban, and the Brady Law. You can count on him
to continue the fight to repeal the thousands of gun laws that
have been enacted in the past 30 years. He earns a grade of "A+"
from GOA.
DEM: Loy Sneary
Occupation: Farmer/Rancher
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Since we so strongly endorse
the incumbent, Ron Paul, for this race, we will not pretend to
be objective by trying to summarize the position of his opponent.
Please understand that most candidates do not respond to questionnaires,
(for example, this candidate did not respond to either NRA's or
GOA's survey), and we usually must
have a volunteer expend his own money to call and pester candidates
to try to get them on record about their views. We have limited
numbers of volunteers and limited resources, and we felt that
it would be a waste of these resources to attempt to interview
the candidates in this race, when we already have a champion for
your rights in Mr. Paul.
REP: Tom Haughey
Occupation: Author/Broadcaster/Pastor
Incumbent? N
Analysis: GOA gives this candidate
a grade of "A." He is an NRA member and FNRA organizer.
He owns 2 rifles and has done some reading on the Second Amendment.
He says, "'don't infringe' means don't infringe." He
said he supports repeal of the ban on semi-autos; is against waiting
periods and is against centralized record keeping of gun owners/purchasers.
"I go beyond the NRA," which he feels is too soft on
some issues. Rated "A" by TSRA.
Although NRA rates him an "A," NRA does not endorse
him. This is why we have little faith in the NRA to give us
reliable endorsements. What NRA is trying to do is avoid incurring
the animosity of the incumbent who will most likely win re-election.
Kind of like trying to get on the good side of Chuck Schumer seems
to us.
DEM: Ruben Hinojosa
Occupation: U.S. Representative
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: This candidate did not respond to
the GOA survey in 1998. He did not
respond to our questionnaire in 1996. Did not respond to NRA's
survey in 1996. This year, NRA rates him a weak "C."
LIB: Stu Nance
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions (not enough volunteers).
Libertarian Party candidates were not known at the time of the
GOA survey, so they were not included
therein. We note his web page states his views: "As long
as the Second Amendment is part of the Constitution, the United
States Congress should respect it fully. The Constitution took
the issue of arms out of the hands of passing politicians and
yet both major parties continue to exceed their authority, ignoring
the Constitution with inflammatory rhetoric."
DEM: Silvestre Reyes
Occupation: U.S. Representative
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: This candidate did not respond to
the GOA survey for 1998. We are told
by gun rights activists in his district that he is generally conservative,
and very popular, but not strongly pro-gun and largely ignorant
of gun control issues. He failed to appear at a candidate's forum
sponsored by El Paso Coalition of Sportsmen during his first campaign
in 1996, after his campaign staff had promised that he was going
to appear; he has steadfastly avoided being pinned down on his
feelings on gun control. However, NRA rated him an "A"
in 1996 and 1998. These ratings are, in our opinion, merely attempts
to stay on the good side of the incumbent, and predicted winner,
of this race.
REP: Rudy Izzard
Occupation: Dentist-Rancher
Incumbent? N
Analysis: GOA gives this candidate
a grade of "B." He was rated "A" by TSRA
in 1996, and he answered our '96 questionnaire showing good general
knowledge of gun control issues and a strong support for the Second
Amendment. In addition, he says he will work for repeal of the
Brady Law and the recent terrorism Laws.
LIB: Gordon Mobley
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions (not enough volunteers).
Libertarian Party candidates were not known at the time of the
GOA survey, so they were not included
therein.
DEM: Charlie Stenholm
Occupation: Farmer
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: GOA
gives this candidate a grade of "B-." He is rated "A"
by TSRA. He strongly supported
the bill in Congress to deny funding for National Center for Injury
Prevention & Control (NCIPC) which has been using tax dollars
to pump out extremely biased "studies" supporting gun
control. He voted against Brady in 1991 and 1993 and for all the
pro-gun amendments offered on it. He voted for the Chenoweth amendment
but against the Istook amendment. Mr. Stenholm is one of only
a handful of candidates that actually tells you his stand on firearms
issues on his web page. We wish all choices were this tough on
the gun issue: you can't really lose in this race. But we believe
you should support those who have supported you; there simply
is no reason to take a chance on someone new. So we recommend
you support the Hon. Mr. Stenholm.
DEM: Sheila Jackson Lee
Occupation: Attorney - U.S. Congresswoman
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: GOA
gives this candidate a grade of "F-." We note HCI
gave her campaign money for her 1996 campaign. She has never responded
to us (no surprise). NRA also gives her an "F" rating.
LIB: James Galvan
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey. He is also endorsed by GTSC.
REP: Larry Combest
Occupation: U.S. Representative
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: GOA gives this candidate
a grade of "B." We note in 1996 he was rated "0"
by HCI and
"A+" by TSRA. That
should tell you plenty right there. He voted against Brady in
1991 and 1993, and for all the pro-gun amendments offered thereto.
He voted against the semi-auto ban and against the 1994 Crime
Bill and for every procedural vote that could have killed it.
He voted for both the Chenoweth and Istook amendments too! Rated
"A" by NRA.
DEM: Sidney Blankenship
Occupation: Animal Welfare
Incumbent? N
Analysis: This candidate did not respond to
the GOA survey.
REP: James Walker
Occupation:
Incumbent?
Analysis: This candidate did not respond to
the GOA survey. In 1996, he ran in
this same race and TSRA rated
him an "A." We truly wish he had responded to us, or
at least GOA. On his web page he gives voters some information
on where he stands: "I support the Second Amendment right
to bear arms, and am opposed to gun control. I favor instantaneous
checks for felony convictions before the purchase of a firearm."
This is rather general and vague, but it is more than most candidates
offer us.
LIB: Alejandro "Alex" DePena
Occupation: Systems Analyst
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. Mr. De Pena ran in this race in 1996,
and that year, he responded to our Peaceable Texan questionnaire
in great depth, demonstrating an excellent understanding of firearm
issues and an unequivocal support for the Second Amendment, rejecting
all attempts to undermine it. Libertarian Party candidates were
not known at the time of the GOA survey.
DEM: Charlie Gonzalez
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: GOA
gives this candidate a grade of "F." He is the son of
the incumbent, Henry B., who always voted anti-gun, and who is
now retiring. If the father's opposition to gun rights does not
offend you, then preventing a dynasty should. NRA has also rated
Mr. Gonzalez an "F," which is defined in the NRA guide
to mean he is a "proven enemy of gun owner's rights. A seriously
anti-gun candidate who always opposes gun owners' rights, and/or
actively leads anti-gun legislative efforts."
REP: Lamar Smith
Occupation: Member of Congress
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Based on his voting record, we conclude that Mr. Smith
is a good supporter of your gun rights, although he may not be
an advocate either. He voted against the Brady Bill and he voted
against the semi-auto ban. He voted for the pro-gun amendments
to those bills too. In fact, we could not find an anti-gun vote
that he made. TSRA rates him
"A+." GOA gives this candidate
a grade of "C." We disagree with GOA's rather low rating.
He is a tried and true supporter of your gun rights. NRA gives
him an "A."
LIB: Jeffrey C. Blunt
Occupation: Engineer
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. Mr. Blunt is certainly in line with his
party's position. He wrote, "As a Libertarian Candidate for
Congress and a member of the NRA, I assure you that I am a pro
gun candidate and a strong supporter of the Second Amendment (as
well as the rest of the Constitution). I favor repeal of gun regulations,
especially the misguided 'assault gun ban' legislation."
His other answers on our survey indicate he is well-informed on
firearm issues.
REP: Tom DeLay
Occupation: Congressman
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. DeLay has a solid voting record for all gun related
votes for past 7 years; he even voted for Istook and Chenoweth
amendments--a very strong sign that he is sensitive to the rights
of gun owners. TSRA rates him
an "A+," while GOA gives
this candidate a grade of "B-." He is also endorsed
by GTSC.
LIB: Steve Grupe
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey.
DEM: Hill Kemp
Occupation: Management Consultant
Incumbent? N
Analysis: This candidate did not respond to
the GOA or NRA surveys, which is not
a good sign that he is pro-gun. We have no information on this
candidate.
REP: Henry Bonilla
Occupation: U.S. Representative
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Based on his voting record, Mr. Bonilla has earned the
following approval ratings from civil liberties organizations:
TSRA "A+"
and by GOA's high standards, a "B."
He has a solid pro-gun voting record on the major gun votes; he
voted against Brady, for all pro-gun amendments to Brady; against
the semi-auto ban, against the 1994 Crime Bill; and for the Istook
and Chenoweth Amendments.
LIB: William A. (Bill) Stallknecht
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey.
DEM: Charlie Urbina Jones
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: His campaign is being run through
his law office; have been told that the person running the campaign
is busy and will call back. No response. He ran for this same
seat in 1996, but never returned our questionnaire that year.
In 1996, we were able to talk to a staff worker at his
campaign, who stated that Jones generally supports existing federal
firearms laws although he may object to some aspects of some laws.
He may or may not be in favor of repealing the Brady Law and the
semi-auto ban. Jones has no specific position regarding the ATF,
it's funding or its mandate. Jones is a hunter and sees the Second
Amendment as more of a guarantee than as a collective right. He
might support restrictions on "cop killer" bullets.
He did not respond to NRA or TSRA
surveys that year, and he did not respond
to the GOA or NRA surveys for 1998
either. That is usually a pretty good indicator that he
is not pro-gun. At the very least, it appears that Mr. Jones is
the wishy-washy, weak-kneed kind of politician that avoids telling
you where he stands, and indeed, tries to keep it a secret. Certainly
not the kind who would stand up for your rights when the going
got a little tough.
REP: Shawn Terry
Occupation: Management Consultant
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Terry did not respond to the questionnaire we mailed
to him. He did respond to GOA's survey,
though, and GOA gives him a grade of "A." NRA gives
him a grade of "A." This recommendation is based upon
the serious need to unseat the incumbent.
LIB: David A. Stover
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey.
DEM: Martin Frost
Occupation: Member, U.S. House of Representatives
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Frost has a long track
record of anti-gun votes while he's been in Congress. Although
he voted against the Schumer semi-auto ban bill in 1994, we view
that as merely a political ploy on his part so he can claim he
is pro-gun. One has to look at his total voting record to understand
how anti-gun he has been. On every other single vote he has voted
against us. For example, he voted against all the pro-gun amendments
to the semi-auto ban, the Brady bill, and the '94 Crime Bill as
well as all the procedural votes on the Crime Bill that would
have killed it. He voted for the Brady bill, and in 1995 he voted
against the Chenoweth and Istook amendments. His sole pro-gun
vote against the semi-auto ban is the only reason NRA rated him
40% supporter in the last election. TSRA
listed him with a "B-" in 1996, which we feel is way
off the mark. We note that HCI
gives him good marks. In short, he's the kind of representative
that will vote against you when it counts, and vote with you when
it does no good. GOA gives this candidate
a grade of "D-." NRA once again ruins their credibility
by giving Mr. Frost a "C" rating.
REP: John M. Sanchez
Occupation:
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Our volunteer reports he called Mr. Sanchez's clinic,
and his campaign office, and left messages, but got no return
calls. This candidate did not respond to the
GOA survey either, (as of the time
this was written) but by election time, GOA had rated him an "F."
We note that he is endorsed by GTSC,
and NRA rates him an "A." The recommendation in this
race is based upon the serious need to unseat the incumbent.
An anti-gun freshman is preferrable to an anti-gun incumbent.
LIB: Eric Atkisson
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey.
DEM: Ken Bentsen
Occupation: Member of Congress
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: In 1996 Mr. Bentsen failed
to respond to either of two questionnaires that were sent him
and when we phoned his office, our volunteer was passed from staffer
to staffer until he was finally told that the staffer who responds
to Second Amendment issues was momentarily unavailable. We left
a message and were promised a return call in ten minutes. No such
call was ever received. It is apparent to us that Bentsen is not
interested in communicating his position on Second Amendment issues
to concerned constituents because those constituents would not
like what they hear. Based on his voting record, Ken Bentsen has
earned the following approval ratings this year from civil liberties
organizations: TSRA
F, GOA F, and NRA F. HCI
donated to his campaign in 1994 and 1996. While he was not
around when the Brady Bill and semi-auto bans were voted on, his
votes in 1995 (on the Chenoweth & Istook amendments) show
he is not sensitive to gun owners concerns.
REP: Dick Armey
Occupation: U.S. Representative
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: A strong supporter of your gun rights, Dick Armey, House
Majority Leader, has a proven track record of pro-gun votes while
in Congress. His voting record has earned him the following ratings:
TSRA "A+" and GOA
"C-". NRA gives him an "A."
LIB: Joe Turner
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey.
REP: Erol A. Stone
Occupation: Self-Employed
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Stone did not list a phone number for his campaign
with the Secretary of State, which is very unusual. He has not
responded to our survey, which was mailed to him. Our volunteer
noted, "No active campaign in Corpus Christi." It would
appear that he did not start up his campaign before March, 1998,
because he had no primary opponent, or else he is not a serious
contender. This candidate did not respond
to the GOA survey nor the NRA survey.
LIB: Mark G.Pretz
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey, so they were not included therein. This is a race in which
it is wise to vote Libertarian to send a message to Republicans
everywhere that they cannot continue to receive the pro-gun vote
yet treat gun owners as an embarrassing step child, (it was the
Republican Congress, remember, that re-enacted the Gun Free School
Zones Act, passed the Lautenberg "misdemeanor" gun ban,
and affirmed various Clinton nominated gun-haters
for important positions on the federal bench and the executive
branch like David Satcher as Surgeon General).
DEM: Solomon P. Ortiz
Occupation: U.S. Representative
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Ortiz has been a rather solid
Pro-gun supporter in all major gun votes in the past. He voted
against the Istook and Chenoweth amendments in 1995; however,
which suggests to us that Mr. Ortiz has a good voting record on
major gun bills, but not so good on minor bills that only incidentally
affect your gun rights. This explains why TSRA
rated him an A+ in 1996, while GOA's
tougher standards garner him only a C. The recommendation in this
race is based on Mr. Ortiz's weak support for gun rights and the
well known advocacy of gun rights by the Libertarian Party.
DEM: Ciro D. Rodriguez
Occupation: Educator
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Rodriguez was sworn into office
in April, 1997, hence he has a scant record, (he does not even
have a congressional website). He was elected in a special election
held to fill the vacancy left by Frank Tejeda, who was
a strong pro-gun representative, but who had to resign due to
cancer. It is unfortunate to see him replaced by someone that
seems to want to hide his views. I was unable
to get past his staff to speak with him. I mailed a survey to
him. I did research his congressional roll call record. He appears
to be aligning himself with big government types and liberals.
His background is with public (government) schools, take that
for what it is worth. This candidate did not respond to the GOA
survey either. He is rated "A" by NRA, but probably
this is one of those ratings where NRA attempts to curry favor
with incumbents who are perceived to be the likely winners of
their races. We note there are no gun related votes since Mr.
Rodriquez has been in office to earn him any sort of grade, much
less an "A."
LIB: Edward "Ned" Elmer
Occupation: Medical Doctor
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey.
DEM: Gene Green
Occupation: Attorney, Business Mgr.
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Gene Green voted against the semi-auto
ban when it first came up, but later voted for the 1994 Crime
Bill which contained the same ban; he voted against the Brady
bill but also against Istook & Chenoweth amendments. He recently
voted in support of repealing the semi-auto ban, but this does
not say much since everyone knew Clinton would veto the bill.
His flip flopping has earned him the following ratings: TSRA
"B+," and GOA "B-."
As one Houston activist told us, "Mr. Green is high maintenance,"
meaning that you have to keep tabs on him and work on him to get
him to vote right. He is endorsed by GTSC.
NRA rates him an "A," which shows you how much you can
rely on the NRA's grades.
LIB: James P. Chudleigh
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey.
REP: Carrie Kelliher
Occupation: Program Coordinator
Incumbent? N
Analysis: [ed. note: our volunteer did not get much from this
candidate, and seems to rely upon the candidate's reaction to
his remarks instead of the views of the candidate herself--looks
like our volunteer got snowed.] I spoke with her directly and
we had a lively conversation. She was definitely receptive to
my remarks regarding the Second Amendment. She made an interesting
comment about the Constitution. "It is a living document,
that is why the liberals are always trying to kill it." My
gut feeling is Carrie will be a staunch supporter of the ENTIRE
Bill of Rights. I strongly urge you to vote for Carrie Kelliher.
Unfortunately, she did not return our questionnaire. This
candidate did not respond to the GOA
survey either. Based on her failure to respond to either our or
GOA's survey's, we are going with the libertarian in this race.
She is, however, rated "A" by the NRA.
LIB: Barbara L. Robinson
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey, so they were not included therein.
Occupation: Member of Congress
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: She is the poster child for the
gun haters. The sycophants at Handgun Control Inc.
have anointed her with their most favorable rating. Her Congressional
record is easily accessible from the usual sources. This caller
was unable to get past her staff. Where is that liberal open-mindedness
and compassion? GOA gives this
candidate a grade of "F-." She is likewise rated "F"
by NRA.
REP: George W. Bush
Occupation: Governor
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Bush is no Second Amendment advocate, but he is
definitely not anti-gun either. He is a very safe choice; he helped
us get a Right-to-Carry Law, we need to support those who have
supported us. He is endorsed by GTSC, TSRA
and NRA. No surprises there.
LIB: Lester R. "Les" Turlington, Jr.
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey, so they were not rated by that organization.
DEM: Garry Mauro
Occupation: Texas Land Commissioner
Incumbent? N
Analysis: We are working to gather information
on this candidate, but we do not have high hopes he will reveal
his true positions on firearms issues, as he has close ties to
President Clinton. We note he also failed to respond to the TSRA
survey, which says to us that he is anti.
REP: Rick Perry
Occupation: Commissioner of Agriculture
Incumbent? N
Analysis: TSRA
has rated him an "A" this year.
LIB: Anthony Garcia
Occupation: Systems Administrator
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment, which is one of unqualified support. Mr.
Garcia is a member of NRA and GOA and states on his web page that
he supports "Full enforcement of the Bill of Rights, especially
the Second Amendment guarantee of the individual's right to keep
and bear arms." Try to find that on either of his
opponents' sites. This is a race in which it is wise to vote Libertarian
to send a message to Republicans everywhere that they cannot continue
to receive the pro-gun vote yet treat gun owners as an embarrassing
step child, (it was the Republican Congress, remember, that re-enacted
the Gun Free School Zones Act, passed the Lautenberg "misdemeanor"
gun ban, and affirmed various Clinton nominated gun-haters
for important positions on the federal bench and the executive
branch like David Satcher as Surgeon General).
DEM: John Sharp
Occupation: Real Estate Broker
Incumbent? N
Analysis: TSRA
rates him an "A" this year. He has been endorsed
by GTSC.
NOTE: In case you don't think the Attorney General
race is important to protecting your gun rights, please remember
that Bill Clinton launched his political career as Arkansas Attorney
General.
REP: John Cornyn
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Cornyn has served on the Supreme Court of Texas since
1990. When our volunteer called his office, she was told that
the survey had been filled out and mailed on 2/20/98. When no
survey was received, she called back and faxed another copy of
the survey. Finally an aide called to say that Cornyn would be
unable to respond since he was out of town until several days
after the Peaceable Texans' voter guide was due to go to press,
(a week before the March primary). The aide explained that Cornyn
had authorized no one in his office to respond for him to such
surveys. Since the primary, he still has not sent it back. All
we know of Cornyn is that he also refused to respond when he ran
for the Supreme Court in 1996, saying that to answer our questionnaire
would violate the Code of Judicial Conduct (which is not true,
see our judicial questionnaire for
yourself). This year he does not have that excuse, yet still he
dodges us. Hardly someone that seems worthy of your pro-gun vote.
He is rated "A" by TSRA.
He is endorsed by GTSC too.
LIB: Mike Angwin
Occupation: Business Owner
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey, so they are not included therein. This is a race in which
it is wise to vote Libertarian to send a message to Republicans
everywhere that they cannot continue to receive the pro-gun vote
yet treat gun owners as an embarrassing step child, (it was the
Republican Congress, remember, that re-enacted the Gun Free School
Zones Act, passed the Lautenberg "misdemeanor" gun ban,
and affirmed various Clinton nominated gun-haters
for important positions on the federal bench and the executive
branch like David Satcher as Surgeon General).
DEM: Jim Mattox
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: In a March, 1994 Austin-American Statesman article, Mr. Mattox stated in response to questions, that he supported the Brady Law, and a ban on "automatic assault weapons," (the question was about banning "semi-automatic assault weapons"). He also stated that he supports "plans that call for additional education and training in the use and safety of weapons," and "special use licenses for quasi-law enforcement or other special activities," (whatever that means).
This year (1998) Mr. Mattox has valiantly avoided giving us straight
answers. He returned neither our survey nor the GOA
survey. When our volunteer called his office asking his position
on gun control, we were told that the AG position was one of upholding
the law, not making law, (and therefore, we guess, his views on
gun rights are irrelevant). An aide described Mattox as a "good
Populist Democrat" concerned with "citizen's freedom
issues." This volunteer was finally allowed to talk with
Gary Horton, Mattox's campaign manager. Horton began fast-talking
about what a big hunter Mattox was, how he had been raised with
firearms and had hunted with his dad, etc. When asked, Horton
finally said that he "thought" Mattox was in favor of
the Right-to-Carry Law adding that he (Horton) was applying for
a carry permit and Mattox was aware of that and approved--at least
for his campaign manager! Horton persisted in chatting about his
own views, even asking the volunteer if she could recommend an
instructor for the CHL course. It was hard to keep the conversation
on track and I felt we was being snowed. Finally, I asked Horton
if he could furnish us with a statement from Mattox as to his
position on gun rights. Horton replied he would try to do this
and call us back. He never has. Incredibly, he is rated "B"
by TSRA.
Occupation: Texas Railroad Commissioner
Incumbent? N
Analysis: She did not respond to our questionnaire in her 1996
campaign for the RR Commission, but her campaign staff did provide
us with Ms. Rylander's answers to another group's (The Texas Constitutional
Coalition) 1994 questionnaire in which she indicates that she
is a supporter of the right to bear arms. She indicated that the
Second Amendment is an individual right; that she is opposed to
all federal laws regulating guns except for the 1934 NFA restriction
on automatics and therefore she is for repealing the Brady law
and the semi-auto ban. She is rated "A" by TSRA.
She is endorsed by GTSC too.
LIB: Alex Monchak
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey.
DEM: Paul Hobby
Occupation: Businessman
Incumbent? N
Analysis: We are working to gather information
on this candidate. He did not respond to TSRA's
survey.
REP: David Dewhurst
Occupation: Businessman
Incumbent? N
Analysis: We have no information on Mr. Dewhurst, other than that
he is a multi-millionaire. Please note that
both major party's candidates failed to answer TSRA's
survey. Dewhurst is endorsed by GTSC,
but for reasons unknown to us.
LIB: J. Manuel "Monte" Montez
Occupation: Teacher
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions (not enough volunteers!)
And because Libertarian Party candidates were not known at the
time of the GOA survey, they were
not included therein. Until we get information on the other candidates
in this race; however, we will have to recommend the libertarian.
DEM: Richard Raymond
Occupation: State Representative
Incumbent? N
Analysis: This guy should have a track record
as a state rep. But since most votes in the Texas Legislature
are not recorded, his record is not available to us. We note that
TSRA has not endorsed him,
which, presumably, they would unless he opposed the right-to-carry
law in 1995. He has failed to respond to the TSRA
survey this year.
REP: Susan Combs
Occupation: Rancher
Incumbent?
Analysis: Ms. Combs was state representative for District 47 from
1993-1996 (the seat now held by Terry Keel). An aide in her office
told our volunteer that Combs had voted for the Right-to-Carry
Law. Ms. Combs returned the GOA survey
answering most questions in a positive manner. She also returned
our survey, answering most questions favorably. Ms. Combs indicated
that she would "absolutely not" support legislation
to limit the number of firearms or ammo one may possess, nor does
she support waiting periods or the banning of kevlar-penetrating
bullets (most any rifle round will). She supports repeal of the
semi-auto ban and believes the Second Amendment "enables
citizens to protect themselves against crime." She would
not support Vermont-style carry laws for Texas (her reason being
that Texas is too "urban") unless such a proposal had
public support. She is rated "A" by TSRA.
And she is endorsed by GTSC.
LIB: Jimmy T. LaBaume
Occupation: Professor/Rancher
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey.
Occupation: Farmer/ Rancher
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Patterson, State Representative
from District 3, returned our survey promptly, answering most
questions in a pro-gun manner. His less favorable answers indicate
an ignorance of some gun issues. His favorable responses show
that he does not support waiting periods or licensing, does support
the repeal of the semi-auto ban, and favors Vermont-style carry
legislation. Mr. Patterson also responded to the GOA
(Gun Owners of America) survey, answering every question in a
pro-gun manner. Mr. Patterson is rated "A" by TSRA.
This recommendation is based on Mr. Patterson's support for Vermont-Style
carry, which seems to be the only difference between him and Susan
Combs.
REP: Tony Garza
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: We have no information on Mr. Garza, other than that
Governor Bush appointed him as our Secretary of State. He
is rated "A" by TSRA.
He is endorsed by GTSC. He provided
us with a copy of his responses to GTSC's candidate survey, and
he gave very solid pro-gun responses that show, among other things,
that he supports repeal of Both the Brady Law and the ban on semi-automatics,
preventing national registration through the NICS (National Instant
Check System) and removing its application to long arms.
LIB: Jim Spurlock
Occupation: Aircraft Sales
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey.
DEM: Joe B. Henderson
Occupation: Attorney/Businessman
Incumbent? N
Analysis: He is rated "A" by TSRA.
Note: Some judges in Texas have refused to answer our questionnaire
on the ground that doing so would violate the Code of Judicial
Conduct. Our Peaceable Texan judicial questionnaire
was designed especially for judges by legal counsel to avoid answers
that would be in violation of the Code. We therefore conclude
that some judicial candidates merely use the Code as an excuse
for dodging voter questions. It would be a sad commentary upon
the judiciary, would it not, that judges could not agree on what
the Code of Judicial Conduct prohibits?
REP: Craig T. Enoch
Occupation: Justice, Supreme Court of Texas
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Enoch responded to our judicial candidate survey.
His responses indicate that he is essentially unconcerned with
firearms issues. We say this because he honestly admits that he
does not know the answers to questions #1,
5, and 7.
His other responses indicate he was raised with firearms and knows
how to use them, so it is pretty clear that he is probably not
anti-gun, but just part of the great mass of citizens out there
who are rather uninformed on the issue. Our recommendation in
this race is based on nothing more than Mr. Westergren's refusal
to respond.
DEM: Mike Westergren
Occupation: Attorney/Judge
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Westergren did not respond
to our judicial candidate questionnaire. We do not recommend voting
for people who refuse to share information about themselves. He
is, however, endorsed by GTSC.
REP: Harriet O'Neill
Occupation: Justice, 14th Court of Appeals
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Sorry, neither candidate in this race felt like sharing
information with you voters as they failed to return our judicial
questionnaire. She is endorsed by GTSC
however.
DEM: Rose Spector
Occupation: Judge
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Ms. Spector did not respond
to our judicial candidate questionnaire. We do not recommend voting
for people who refuse to share information about themselves.
REP: Greg Abbott
Occupation: Justice, Texas Supreme Court
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Abbott responded to our judicial questionnaire and
gave very thoughtful and intelligent responses that indicate he
is knowledgeable about firearms in general. He grew up around
firearms, and has applied for his CHL. He agrees with the statement
in question #5, which indicates
he is aware of the media handling of gun control issues. He promises
not to be a judicial activist, and observes that "criminals
aren't the ones who will comply with gun control laws, only the
law abiding citizens." He is endorsed by GTSC.
DEM: David Van Os
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Van Os did not respond
to our judicial candidate questionnaire. We do not recommend voting
for people who refuse to share information about themselves.
REP: Deborah Hankinson
Occupation: Justice, Supreme Court of Texas
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: This candidate was appointed by Gov. Bush to fill a
vacancy in late 1997. Sorry, but neither candidate in this race
felt like sharing information with you voters as they failed to
return our judicial questionnaire. She did get the endorsement
of GTSC however.
DEM: Jerry Scarbrough
Occupation: Lawyer
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Scarbrough did not respond
to our judicial candidate questionnaire. We do not recommend voting
for people who refuse to share information about themselves.
REP: Mike Keasler
Occupation: State District Judge
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Keasler responded to us in 1996. At that time he
indicated that he was a District Judge and ex-prosecutor, owns
a pistol, and has read "several" law review articles
on the Second Amendment "over the years." He says he
feels that gun control laws are ineffective. This year, his questionnaire
indicates basic good instincts and positions on gun control issues;
for example, he answered our question #5
"yes," and observed that, "often the media are
caught up in anti-gun hysteria." He did get the endorsement
of GTSC, although GTSC notes, correctly,
that Charles Baird is a "2nd Amendment Advocate."
Thus, we find this endorsement rather puzzling.
DEM: Charles F. "Charlie" Baird
Occupation: Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Judge Baird is the incumbent and
has proven to be a reliable jurist who is intellectually honest.
In an important case on the right of Texans to carry handguns,
the Court of Criminal Appeals (the highest criminal court in Texas)
narrowly sustained a conviction of a man who was carrying a handgun
in his car from home to work. Judge Baird wrote an excellent and
blistering dissent in that case, which is Moosani v. State.
He is one of the few jurists who has stated his opinion on the Second Amendment
because he has written on the subject in a decided court case.
There is no reason to replace a man of Mr. Baird's high caliber
(no pun intended). We heartily endorse this scholarly candidate.
REP: Cheryl Johnson
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Ms. Johnson did not respond to our judicial candidate
questionnaire. We do not recommend voting for people who refuse
to share information about themselves.
DEM: Winston Cochran
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Chochran did not respond
to our judicial candidate questionnaire. We do not recommend voting
for people who refuse to share information about themselves.
REP: Lawrence 'Larry' Meyers
Occupation: Judge
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Meyers did not respond to our judicial candidate
questionnaire. However, we know of some of his thoughts in his
dissent in the Moosani case. Although
he dissents--which is good--he states at one point that he finds
it "alarming" that people would go about armed while
traveling within a city: "The State urges us . . . to construe
the traveling exemption much as it was in the past, mainly because
a more liberal interpretation could result in people 'regularly
arming themselves as they move about the city.' Admittedly,
this scenario is alarming . . .." (emphasis added). He
apparently is intellectually honest, but hoplaphobic (i.e., scared
of guns). He is willing to follow the clear mandate of the law
even though he thinks the result is harmful.
LIB: Larry S. Perry
Occupation: Attorney
Analysis: The position
of the Libertarian Party is well known on
the Second Amendment (or any Constitutional issue), which is one
of unqualified support. We were unable to contact this libertarian
candidate after the LP's June conventions. Libertarian Party candidates
were not known at the time of the GOA
survey, so they were not included therein. This is a race in which
it is wise to vote Libertarian to send a message to Republicans
everywhere that they cannot continue to receive the pro-gun vote
yet treat gun owners as an embarrassing step child, (it was the
Republican Congress, remember, that re-enacted the Gun Free School
Zones Act, passed the Lautenberg "misdemeanor" gun ban,
and affirmed various Clinton nominated gun-haters
for important positions on the federal bench and the executive
branch like David Satcher as Surgeon General).
REP: Davie L. Wilson
Occupation: Justice
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Wilson did not respond to our judicial candidate
questionnaire. We do not recommend voting for people who refuse
to share information about themselves.
DEM: George Ellis
Occupation: Retired Senior Judge
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Ellis responded to our judicial
questionnaire and his responses indicate that he is knowledgeable
on firearms issues (e.g., he answered question #1
correctly). He grew up with firearms, and to question #7
he answered, "No. People who want to commit a crime with
a gun will find a way to obtain one."
REP: David Puryear
Occupation: Judge
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Judge Puryear, who is a trial judge in Travis County,
responded to our questionnaire and indicated he is quite knowledgeable
about guns and gun control issues. He was given his first rifle
at age 9, and he agrees with the characterization of media reporting
contained in question #5.
He also believes that gun control laws have been "ineffective
in achieving their stated goals. Those responsible for committing
crime in our midst are not, and will not, be effected or deterred
by laws such as these." (See our question #7).
Jan Patterson
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Ms. Patterson did not respond
to our judicial candidate questionnaire. We do not recommend voting
for people who refuse to share information about themselves.
REP: Karen Angelini
Occupation: Justice
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Ms. Angelini did not respond to our judicial candidate
questionnaire. We do not recommend voting for people who refuse
to share information about themselves.
DEM: Jim Branton
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Branton responded to our judicial
candidate questionnaire. His responses do not indicate much about
his views, but do indicate a basic ignorance of firearms issues.
He honestly notes that he does not know the answer to question #1,
and does not recall the media coverage of the "assault rifle"
ban (question #5). He was
not raised in a home where firearms were present. On the positive
side, he has had formal firearms training in the Air Force, and,
to our question #7, he answers,
"Probably not very effective." We think that Mr. Branton
is simply one of the many that is not concerned about firearms
freedoms, but is not anti-gun either. It is a tough choice in
this race without information on the other candidate, so no recommendation
here.
REP: Jerry Woodard
Occupation: Senior Judge
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Woodard did not respond to our judicial candidate
questionnaire. We do not recommend voting for people who refuse
to share information about themselves.
DEM: Susan Larsen
Occupation: Justice, Eighth Court
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Ms. Larsen did not respond
to our judicial candidate questionnaire. We do not recommend voting
for people who refuse to share information about themselves.
REP: Ralph Harrison
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Harrison responded to our judicial questionnaire
and gave what are possibly some of the most thoughtful answers
of any judicial candidate this year. He indicates he is well read
and quite familiar with gun control issues. He answered question #1
correctly, and to question #5
wrote, "I believe the national media has a bias against gun
ownership. Consequently, I am skeptical of much of what I read
in the media on that subject. I prefer to draw conclusions from
more reliable information." He also correctly notes that
gun control "measures can be objectively proven to be ineffective,"
(which, of course, is true).
DEM: Don Burgess
Occupation: Judge
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Burgess did not respond
to our judicial candidate questionnaire. We do not recommend voting
for people who refuse to share information about themselves.
REP: Tom Gray
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Gray responded to our judicial candidate questionnaire,
which generally indicated a thoughtful man (a good quality in
an appellate judge), who took some care with his answers. He guessed
correctly the answer to question #1,
stated he grew up around firearms, and generally gave positive,
though cautious responses. We note that he correctly points out
that statistics "did not bear out a positive correlation
between statutory gun control and the level of violent crime,"
(in fact, there is now proof
of the contrary. Lott/Mustard).
DEM: Katherine Logue O'Herren
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Ms. O'Herren did not respond
to our judicial candidate questionnaire. We do not recommend voting
for people who refuse to share information about themselves.
REP: Terry McCall
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Sorry, no candidate in this race felt like sharing information
with you voters as they failed to return our judicial questionnaire.
DEM: Randy Wilson
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Wilson did not respond
to our judicial candidate questionnaire. We do not recommend voting
for people who refuse to share information about themselves.
REP: Don Wittig
Occupation: State District Judge
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Wittig was rated "A" by TSRA
in 1994 when he ran for attorney general against Dan Morales.
He is currently the sitting judge of the 125th District Court.
In an interview that year, Mr. Wittig stated that he would be
willing, as Texas' attorney general, to intervene on behalf of
the people of the State of Texas in litigation pending at that
time to challenge the Brady Act's Constitutionality. If Mr. Wittig
was willing to do this, then we feel he is a good bet for your
pro-gun vote. He did not respond to our questionnaire in '98.
He is endorsed by GTSC too.
DEM: Geoffrey "Jeff" Hutson
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Hutson did not respond
to our judicial candidate questionnaire. We do not recommend voting
for people who refuse to share information about themselves.
REP: Donna Ballard
Occupation: Homemaker
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Sorry, but we simply did not have enough volunteers
to cover this race.
DEM: Rene Nunez
Occupation: Real Estate
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Sorry, but we simply did
not have enough volunteers to cover this race.
REP: Shirley Persons Pigott
Occupation: self-employed physician
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Sorry, but we simply did not have enough volunteers
to cover this race.
DEM: Mary Helen Berlanga
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Sorry, but we simply did
not have enough volunteers to cover this race.
REP: Grace Shore
Occupation: Self Employed
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Ms. Shore has failed to respond to our questionnaire
and was rather rude to our volunteer when he attempted to interview
her on the phone. Our volunteer wrote: "Her tone of voice
changed from one of frustration when I began asking a survey question
to one of anger and it was then she stated 'fax me the survey!'
I have also tried to contact her for the last three days, and
she does not answer the phone." The survey was not returned.
We do not recommend voting for people who refuse to share their
opinions on the issues.
DEM: Charlotte H. Coffelt
Occupation: Retired Educator
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mrs. Coffelt has not returned at
least two messages that our volunteer left on her machine. We
do not recommend voting for people who refuse to share their opinions
on the issues.
REP: Don McLeroy
Occupation: Dentist
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Although our volunteer stated that Mr. McLeroy's staff
indicated he was "pro-gun," he has not responded to
our questionnaire, which was faxed to him at his office.
DEM: Mary Delk
Occupation: Teacher
Incumbent? N
Analysis: From conversation with her, it appears
Ms. Delk has a limited awareness of gun rights issues, and had
"no comment" on the issues raised by our volunteer.
She was faxed our survey to school where she works at her request,
but has not returned it.
REP: Richard Watson
Occupation: Pharmacist
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Sorry, but we simply did not have enough volunteers
to cover this race.
DEM: Allan Butcher
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Sorry, but we simply did
not have enough volunteers to cover this race.
REP: Michael Galloway
Occupation: Oil & Gas Producer
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Rated "A+" by TSRA.
He has the endorsement of GTSC too.
DEM: David Bernsen
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Rated "A" by TSRA.
REP: Steve Ogden
Occupation: Oil & Gas Producer
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Rated "A+" by TSRA.
DEM: Mary M. Moore
Occupation: CPA
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Rated "A" by TSRA.
REP: Mike Jackson
Occupation: Contractor
Incumbent?
Analysis: Mr. Jackson was sent a letter, with the Peaceable Texan
questionnaire enclosed, requesting his stance on the second Amendment
and gun control issues. He has not responded to the letter (as
most candidates do). However, Sen. Jerry Patterson, sponsor of
the Texas Right-to-Carry Law, has informed us that Mr. Jackson
is strongly pro-gun and will be "with us" on our issues.
Jerry Patterson resigned this seat to run for Land Commissioner
in '98. Jackson will likely be his successor. Rated "A+"
by TSRA. He has the endorsement
of GTSC too.
DEM: Edward Wesley
Occupation: Attorney/Businessman
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Wesley was telephoned
and asked his position on gun ownership. He stated that he has
a CHL. He also said that his family has been victimized by an
armed robbery and that he definitely supports the Second Amendment
right to gun ownership, including handguns. However, this statement
cannot square with his additional statement that he has some concerns
about certain types of weapon ownership, and voiced disapproval
of "assault" rifle ownership. It would seem that he
may not be well informed on the semi-auto rifle issue, and could
be educated. He responded to the GOA
survey, answering that: he does not support gun rationing, does
want to keep the government involved in handgun ownership, does
not support guns on college campuses, and did not answer questions
on local ordinances about carriers' and manufacturers' liability.
The main and last point is that he opposes 'Vermont-style' legislation.
Rated "A" by TSRA.
REP: J. E. 'Buster' Brown
Occupation: Attorney/Mediator
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Brown's office was telephoned and his aide, Wendy
Taylor, said that the Senator usually does not respond to surveys
or questionnaires. Senator Brown did vote for SB 60, the Right-to-Carry
legislation. A questionnaire was faxed to him, he has not responded.
He is rated "A" by TSRA.
He has the endorsement of GTSC too.
DEM: Ronnie Ellen Harrison
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Ms. Harrison was telephoned
and a receptionist said to send the survey. A letter, with the
questionnaire enclosed, was sent requesting her stance on the
second amendment and gun control issues. She has not responded.
We also note that she did not respond to TSRA's
survey either, which is a good sign that she is not friendly to
gun owners' rights.
REP: Reese Turner
Occupation: VP Sales
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Rated a "B" by TSRA.
DEM: Ken Armbrister
Occupation: St. Senator/ Businessman
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Rated "A+" by TSRA.
REP: Joe Gardner
Occupation: CPA
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Rated "A" by TSRA.
DEM: Carlos F. Truan
Occupation: Insurance Agent
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: He did not respond to TSRA's
survey, which is not surprising since he was a vocal opponent
of the Right-to-Carry Law when it came up a few years ago. Still,
he is well known enough that TSRA should have, and could have,
rated him.
REP: Tom Haywood
Occupation: Businessman
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Rated "A+" by TSRA.
DEM: Greg Underwood
Occupation: Attorney & Small Businessman
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Rated "B-" by TSRA.
REP: Debe McGuire
Occupation: CPA & Stockbroker
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Rated "A" by TSRA.
According to GOA, she has expressed the view that government
mandated "no-safety" zones around schools and colleges
should be repealed.
DEM: Tom Ramsay
Occupation: Realtor
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Rated "A+" by TSRA.
We have word from GOA that came in the day
before the '98 election, that Mr. Ramsay is running anti-gun ads
attacking his opponent, Ms. McGuire, for her support of the right
to carry on college campuses. This is another example of the
grade inflation TSRA gives in order to "stay on the good
side" of incumbents.
REP: Sue Fancher
Occupation: Financial Services
Incumbent? N
Analysis: This candidate impressed our interviewer as a thoughtful
lady, on our side philosophically but not really knowledgeable
about the specifics of gun-related issues. She opposes waiting
periods but favors an instant-check system for purchases, and
she opposes the semi-auto ban. She believes in the INDIVIDUAL
right to arms. She is undecided about Vermont-style, no-license
handgun carry and the issue of state pre-emption vs. local control.
Rated "A" by TSRA.
DEM: Mark Homer
Occupation: Sonic Drive In Franchisee
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Homer did not respond to our
volunteer's interview requests, nor did he respond to TSRA's
survey, which is a good sign he is not friendly to the concerns
of gunowners. We have word from GOA that came in the day before
the '98 election, that Mr. Homer is running anti-gun ads attacking
his opponent, Ms. Fancher, for her support of the right to carry
on college campuses.
REP: Betty Brown
Occupation: Homemaker/Rancher
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Brown has not returned our survey as I write this. However,
she did fill out the GOA survey. Of
the 15 questions on the GOA survey Mrs. Brown gave positive responses
to each and every one. Where Second Amendment issues are concerned
I do not believe we could go wrong with Mrs. Brown. Rated "A"
by TSRA.
DEM: Bruce Wood
Occupation: School Superintendent (Ret)
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Wood states that he has a
policy against filling out questionnaires. He did not fill one
out for Peaceable Texans, GOA, or
TSRA. Mr. Wood has worked as
a bus driver, teacher, school administrator (Terrell I.S.D.) and
police officer. He does state that he is a hunter and owns two
rifles and two shotguns. (A former police officer who does not
own a handgun?). His failure to respond to any gun rights organization
is a sign that he is not friendly to the concerns of gun owners.
Indeed, we have word from GOA late in the election cycle that
Mr. Wood is running anti-gun attack ads on his opponent, Ms. Brown,
because she is on record supporting allowing women to defend themselves
on college campuses, and because she opposes the federal "gun
free school zones" law. These radio ads have earned Mr.
Wood the jolly roger.
REP: Dan Flynn
Occupation: Rancher
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Now this is the man! He responded yes to all of our
survey questions and provided me with the Second Amendment voting
record of his opponent Rep. Bob Glaze. Bob is one guy that we
most definitely want to get voted out of office. Bob has tried
at every turn to stop Texan's concealed handgun carry rights.
Sounds like we need a change and Dan Flynn could be the answer.
Dan scored a perfect 100% on his responses to GOA's
survey
this year too (all yes answers).
DEM: Bob Glaze
Occupation: Chiropractor
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Did not respond to our survey by mail and would not
respond to repeated phone calls. I did get information from his
opponent Dan Flynn. Bob is one guy that we most definitely want
to get voted out of office. Bob has tried at every turn to fight
against the Right-to-Carry Law and to restrict Texan's handgun
carry rights. He has voted at least twelve times against us, everything
from voting to force concealed carry licensees to get $250,000
of liability insurance to trying to kill the Right-to-Carry bill
altogether. BAD GUY!!!! He did respond to GOA's survey,
and gave the following responses: HD5 Bob Glaze Y N N N N
Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y N. Once again demonstrating its propensity
for manipulating letter grades, TSRA
rates this candidate an "A," in an apparent attempt
to stay on the good side of an incumbent who, in our opinion,
is not worth staying on the good side of.
REP: Gene Barron
Occupation: Rancher
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Answered "yes" to all questions on the GOA
questionnaire. His Democratic opponent, Paul Sadler had a "C"
rating from TSRA in 1996. This
is a definite CHECK for firearms freedoms fans. Rated "A"
by TSRA.
DEM: Paul Sadler
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: TSRA
rated "C" in 1996; our volunteer did not contact him
for the primary election because he had no opposition, and unfortunately,
our volunteer did not follow up on this candidate. We do note,
however, that this candidate failed to respond to TSRA's
survey in 1998 too, which is generally a pretty good sign that
he is not favorable to the concerns of gun owners.
REP: Wayne Christian
Occupation: Invest. Sales
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Had TSRA rating of
"A" in 1996; he did not reply to the GOA
survey this year. Our volunteer did not contact him because he
had no primary opponent; we hope to add information by November.
Rated "A+" by TSRA
this year.
DEM: Colin Strother
Occupation: Rancher
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Did not respond to GOA
poll. Our volunteer did not contact him because he had
no primary opponent; we hope to add information by November. He
is rated "A" by TSRA.
REP: Jeffrey L. Weinstein
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Rated "A" by TSRA.
DEM: Clyde Alexander
Occupation: Rancher, Businessman
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Rated "A+" by TSRA.
It should be noted that under TSRA's rating
system, "A+" ratings are generally reserved for friendly
incumbents as a method of trying to stay on the their good side
of incumbents because incumbents are statistically most likely
to win.
REP: Charles B. Jones
Occupation: Rancher/Administrator
Incumbent?
Analysis: Rated "A" by TSRA.
DEM: Dan Kubiak
Occupation: Builder/Consultant/Rancher
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Rated "A+" by TSRA.
REP: Thomas 'Tommy' Williams
Occupation: Sales/Ins.&Finance
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Rated "A+" by TSRA.
DEM: Larry R. Hickman
Occupation: Floral Grower
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Rated "D" by TSRA.
REP: Les R. Chambers
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Rated "A" by TSRA.
DEM: Jim McReynolds
Occupation: State Representative/Petroleum
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Rated "A+" by TSRA.
REP: Ben Bius
Occupation: Real Estate Broker
Incumbent?
Analysis: Rated "A" by TSRA.
DEM: Dan Ellis
Occupation: Office Manager
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Rated "A" by TSRA.
REP: Eddie Shauberger
Occupation: Administrator
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Shauberger has an unlisted phone number according
to information. None of his positions are known as he did not
return Gun Owners of America' survey and could not be reached
by our volunteer. It is hard to take a candidate seriously when
he is so difficult to contact. However, he apparently did respond
to TSRA's survey late in the
election cycle, and garnered an "A" rating from them.
DEM: Zeb D. Zbranek
Occupation: Attorney, Petroleum Engineer
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Zbranek was rated "A+"
by the Texas State Rifle Association in 1996 and this year too;
however, he did not answer the questions on the Gun Owners of
America survey, and our volunteer was unable to contact him either.
Our recommendation is based solely on the information from TSRA.
REP: Kent Adams
Occupation:
Incumbent?
Analysis: Mr. Adams told our volunteer he is for the concealed
carry law and against the ban on semi-automatics. He stated he
is for tougher laws for criminals and opposes tighter gun legislation.
He did not return our questionnaire. Rated "A" by TSRA.
DEM: Allan B. Ritter
Occupation: Retail - owner/manager
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Ritter is for the concealed
carry law and has his own permit to carry. While he says he has
no opinion on the "assault rifle" ban, he is an avid
hunter and was raised around firearms. He feels there should be
gun proficiency and safety classes on the public school levels.
His PTFFR questionnaire was not returned.
He is rated "A" by TSRA.
REP: Dave Norman
Occupation:
Incumbent?
Analysis: Mr Norman was rated A in 1996 by the Texas State Rifle
Association. He runs opposing Patrcia Gray who is not gun owner
friendly. No other information on this candidate was found. Rated
"A" by TSRA.
DEM: Patricia Gray
Occupation: Lawyer
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Ms. Gray is rated D by the
Texas State Rifle Association. She did not return her Gun Owners
of America survey and should not for these reasons be considered
a friend to the gun owner. She did not return our volunteer's
phone call either. Rated "B" by TSRA.
REP: Larry Taylor
Occupation:
Incumbent?
Analysis: Mr. Taylor says he is in favor of the concealed carry
law and has obtained a permit. He states that he is opposed to
the semi-auto ban and is in favor of repealing it. Mr. Taylor
also states that he is against the Brady Bill and earned a perfect
score on our questionnaire. Rated "A" by TSRA.
DEM: Craig Eiland
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Mr. Eiland is rated "A"
by the Texas Rifle Association, (probably because he is an incumbent
and voted for the Right-to-Carry law). He did not return the Gun
Owner's of America survey or phone calls from our volunteer. In
our opinion, he is a luke warm supporter, but no advocate of your
rights.
REP: Michael Franks
Occupation:
Incumbent? N
Analysis: This candidate is pretty much an individual-rights and
gun-rights "purist." He opposes the semi-auto ban, waiting
periods, etc., and wants to generally minimize government control
of citizens. Although a shooter, he does not intend to get a CHL
because he does not believe in getting a State license to exercise
a Constitutional right. He stated publicly in August, 1998, at
a fund-raiser for Ron Paul that he is willing to sponsor a Vermont
style right-to-carry bill. Rated "A" by TSRA.
This race is one where we part company with TSRA, who is endorsing
the incumbent (as they do all too often). If Michael wins this
race, in 2000 you will see he has an "A+" rating and
the endorsement of TSRA. It is too bad TSRA does not do so this
year.
DEM: Robert L. 'Robby' Cook
Occupation: Farmer
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Rep. Cook did not want to answer
specific questions but was willing to discuss the gun-rights issue
generally. Our interviewer got the impression that he is on our
side more than against us. He believes in the individual right
to arms. He voted for the 1997 Right-to-carry law improvements
(he was not in the legislature in 1995). He would like to get
a CHL, but hasn't had time to complete the training. Overall,
sounds like he wants to reserve opinions until he learns more.
He might be educable, but why run the risk, when you have a choice
of someone who is obviously well informed already? Rated
"A+" by TSRA. It
should be noted that under TSRA's rating system, "A+"
ratings are generally reserved for friendly incumbents as a method
of trying to stay on the their good side of incumbents because
incumbents are statistically most likely to win.
REP: Edward T. (Ed) Garcia
Occupation: Insurance Agent
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Garza did not respond to our survey, nor TSRA's,
which is a pretty good indicator that he is not on the side of
gun owners. The recommendation in this race is based solely upon
this candidate's failure to let us know where he stands.
DEM: D.R. 'Tom' Uher
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Rep. Uher is generally pro-gun rights,
seeing the Second Amendment as protecting an individual's rights,
and favoring state pre-emption (no local restrictive laws). He
opposes waiting periods and the semi-auto ban. He's undecided
about Vermont-style "no-license" carry and restrictions
on penetrating bullets, saying that any legislation would have
to be very carefully drawn so as not to prohibit ordinary hunting
rifle ammunition. He voted for the 1995 Right-to-Carry law and
the 1997 improvements. Overall, he seems familiar with firearms
issues. Rated "A" by TSRA.
REP: Geanie W. Morrison
Occupation: Homemaker
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mrs. Morrison says she supports a "very literal"
interpretation of the Second Amendment. She seems to be philosophically
on our side but not really knowledgeable about the specifics of
gun-related issues. She opposes waiting periods and local restrictions
on carrying but is undecided about repealing the semi-auto ban
and Vermont-style "no-license" carry. Rated "A"
by TSRA.
DEM: Vernon Reaser
Occupation: Realtor
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Mr. Reaser declined to answer specific
questions from our interviewer, saying that he wasn't familiar
with the Peaceable Texans group. [Should that matter? -Ed.] He
did state that he was "100% behind gun rights." Rated
"A" by TSRA.
REP: Arturo Granado
Occupation:
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Granado asked that a survey be mailed to him. The survey
was mailed to him on 2/17/98. Apparently Granado does not have
fax or e-mail capability. Granado has not returned our survey,
GOA's survey, nor TSRA's
survey. This failure to respond to any pro-gun group is usually
a strong indication that the candidate is not on the side of gun
owners.
DEM: Vilma Luna
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? Y
Analysis: Luna did not return our survey
or GOA's survey. She had a "C"
rating in 1996 from the TSRA.
Luna's office was contacted and a survey sent to her office on
2/16/98. It was not returned. She did not respond to TSRA's
survey this year either. She has been in office long enough that
TSRA should have, and could have, rated her based on her past
voting record. We know she voted for the trigger lock bill in
committee.
REP: Rene De Alejandro
Occupation:
Incumbent? N
Analysis: Alejandro was contacted and a survey was sent to him
on 2/16/98. Alejandro has not returned our survey, GOA's
survey, or TSRA's survey. This
failure to respond to any pro-gun group is usually a strong indication
that the candidate is not on the side of gun owners.
DEM: Jaime L. Capelo, Jr.
Occupation: Attorney
Incumbent? N
Analysis: I contacted Capelo's law office on a couple of occasions and have not been able to talk to him. Unable to get a fax number from his office, I could not send a survey. No response to GOA or TSRA surveys from Capelo either. This failure to re