Siegel for Dems in 10th Congressional District
Democratic voters in Texas’ 10th Congressional District have a difficult choice to make, as the three candidates in the primary race — Shannon Hutcheson, Pritesh Gandhi and Mike Siegel — all offer compelling reasons why they should be selected to take on eight-term U.S. Rep. Mike McCaul.
Hutcheson, a lawyer who has represented Planned Parenthood, impressed us with her passion for education and bringing affordable health care to
Texas families. Gandhi, a doctor and Fulbright scholar, protested the treatment of migrant children at the border and founded Doctors Against Gun Violence.
All promise solutions to issues such as climate change, gun control and health care, but in this race, we give the edge to Siegel.
His efforts in 2018, a race he lost by 4 percentage points to the powerful incumbent, convinced Democrats that the district was within grasp. He formed that challenge on a grassroots appeal that built upon his record of service as a teacher and assistant city attorney in Austin, where he led the charge in the suit against Texas’ anti-immigrant Senate Bill 4. During his campaign, he succeeded in protecting the voting rights of students at the historically black Prairie View A&M University.
“As Democrats, the way we’re going to win in Texas is by establishing this reputation that we will fight for the people here,” he told the Editorial Board.
Siegel quit his job last year to bring that fight full time, dedicating himself to knocking on doors to help Democrats get elected, mobilizing against the confirmation of David Whitley as secretary of state over his botched voter purge and suing the state over changes to mobile voting. That willingness to show up and put in the time has gained him the endorsement of local Democratic groups, including the Harris County Tejano
Democrats and the Black Austin Democrats, as well as youth-oriented groups such as Jolt Action and Sunrise ATX.
His support of the Green New Deal has earned him pushback from some energy industry workers, he said, but his position is not dogmatic. He recognizes that compromise is necessary but understands that you need to push as hard as possible if you want to get the best deal.
Siegel has put in the work and earned our recommendation and the support of Democratic voters.