“The daughter of a first generation immigrant, Gina Ortiz Jones has served her country in uniform, protected America’s economic interests at home and abroad, and cared for her mother when she was diagnosed with cancer. Gina will be a strong, principled representative for working Texans and these results show her grassroots campaign is building momentum and will be highly competitive in November.” –DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján
To: Interested Parties
From: Cole Leiter, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: May 22, 2018
RE: The Case Against Will Hurd
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Congressman Will Hurd would have you believe he’s different. But stack his record up next to any other Republican politician in Washington and the truth is evident that his loyalties lie with his political party in Washington, and President Trump – not with West Texas voters.
From his full-throated support for a tax handout to the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations, paid for by middle class families, to his votes to fund Trump’s border wall, Hurd has stood with his political party and with President Trump more than 97% of the time, even when it’s bad for the Texas families he’s supposed to represent.
Hurd’s loyalty to his Washington party bosses and to Donald Trump sets up his own undoing in a heavily Hispanic district where the President’s approval rating is underwater. Congressman Hurd will have to defend his record of voting like a Washington Republican against Gina Ortiz Jones’ record of serving in the Air Force, after earning her way through college on an ROTC scholarship, then serving her country at the intersection of trade and national security.
While Congressman Hurd campaigned on dismantling our health care system and then voted with his party for a tax bill that will raise health care costs for millions of Americans, Gina Ortiz Jones moved home to San Antonio to care for her mom after she was diagnosed with cancer.
That difference between a Representative who has supported much of Washington’s health care agenda, and a candidate who has lived the importance of affordable health care will be a pivotal issue in this swing district.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
“A former intelligence officer with the U.S. Air Force, Jones has an impressive record of accomplishment and a deep understanding of local, national and international issues… For her national security expertise, insights into trade, academic achievement and history in the district, we recommend Jones in this Democratic runoff.” [San Antonio Express News, 4/27/2018]
“The two most damning accusations against Hurd is that he voted in favor of repealing Obamacare during his first term and only voted against repeal this year; and that he speaks out against the border wall, but once voted to fund it.” [Texas Monthly, 8/11/2017]
Headline: “Trump agenda lays traps for Texas’ most vulnerable Republican.” [McClatchy, 2/05/2018]
Headline: “Here’s How Much San Antonio Congressmen Were Paid to Let Internet Providers Sell Your Browser History.” [San Antonio Current, 4/06/2017]
“Hurd votes in accordance with Trump’s position 96.9 percent of the time, as outlined by fivethirtyeight.com’s ‘Trump score’ tracking model. That’s similar to other Republican House members, with only one lawmaker aligning with Trump less than 90 percent of the time.” [San Antonio Express-News, 1/25/2018]
WILL HURD: TALKS AS BIG AS TEXAS, VOTES PARTY LINE IN DC
President Trump, You’re Wall-come
Congressman Hurd claims to oppose President Trump’s border wall, but he has cast two votes to fund the construction of that wall, a clear indication of where his loyalties lie in Washington. Folks in Texas are starting to wise up to that, and his pro-Trump voting record will define him this November.
Nothing Independent About 97% Trump
Congressman Hurd ducked and dodged the Trump question in 2016, but as soon as Trump was elected, Will Hurd welcomed him with open arms, even when his policies hurt people in Texas. In fact, as of last month, Hurd had voted with Trump more than 97% of the time and with Speaker Ryan 91% of the time. That record makes it clear Hurd’s disavowal of the President in 2016 was an opportunistic election year stunt to mask his true partisan colors.
All Hat, No Cattle
Hurd’s lack of bipartisan accomplishment cuts against his claims that he is a bipartisan problem-solver. For all of the national media attention he seeks, Hurd has accomplished strikingly little on issues key to TX-23.
Here’s just one example: Hurd was named to the Republican DACA task force to much fanfare. But thus far Hurd has been unable his DC party bosses like Speaker Ryan – who run the Swamp – to take action to protect DREAMers. Until a bill has been signed into law, Hurd and his party have still failed to deliver real results. Ultimately, Hurd’s party is in control of the White House and all of Congress, and it has produced nothing but downside for the people of Texas’ 23rd Congressional District.
THE PATH TO VICTORY
TX-23 is a perennial swing district and Trump’s 3.4 point loss in this district in 2016 sets TX-23 up as one of the most competitive districts in the state. A public poll from February 2018 shows Donald Trump 10-points underwater, with a generic Democrat within one-point of Will Hurd. Add Gina’s record of service, in and out of uniform, to Hurd’s record of voting with Speaker Ryan 91% of the time and with President Trump 97% of the time and it shows just how vulnerable Rep. Hurd truly is.
There is no district in the country that holds more of the US-Mexico border, and the reality of the President’s proposed border wall is front and center for voters here, approximately 60% of whom are Hispanic.
Bexar County, the most suburban portion of the district, resembles other areas that have swung towards Democrats in reaction to Trump’s presidency. Nearly half of the more than 65,000 potential new Democratic voters in this district are located in Bexar County. In areas that saw a strong primary turnout, that grassroots energy means Democrats have the opportunity to bring thousands of new votes into the Democratic column.