Race to replace Poe heating up
Clear battle lines emerge in runoff between Roberts and Crenshaw
Kevin Roberts already overcame a $6 million onslaught from self-funding multimillionaire Kathaleen Wall to keep his hopes of winning a seat in Congress alive.
Now the Republican’s challenge is beating retired Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw, a dark horse candidate who emerged from the primary election with surprising momentum.
Roberts, 51, said he’s not intimidated as the May 22 runoff approaches in the GOP primary battle to replace U.S. Rep. Ted Poe in Congress and will stick to his strategy.
“We will continue to run our race,” said Roberts, a businessman who was elected to the state Legislature in 2016. “All I can do is focus on our campaign and work to get our core message out … Experience matters.”
But Crenshaw isn’t about to give an inch on that front either.
Crenshaw, 33, has never held office but said he’s more than ready to put his nearly 10 years in the Navy up against Roberts’ political experience. Crenshaw said his time in the military taught him leadership skills, which he said are at
the core of being a good public servant.
Crenshaw said that experience gives him an edge over Roberts on foreign policy and national security issues. Crenshaw served in South Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2012, while on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan, a roadside bomb nearly killed him. He lost his right eye and medically retired from the Navy in 2016.
Crenshaw said as global issues arise, he’ll have an understanding that can’t be matched by Roberts.
“I think it gives me a nuanced understanding,” Crenshaw said.
Flood control
Roberts thinks his longer track record in the Houston area and his understanding of politics put him in a better position than Crenshaw to deliver on flood mitigation issues, a critical issue after Hurricane Harvey.
Roberts said he’s been working on flood control issues like dredging the San Jacinto River and Cypress Creek and has lived through the flooding that the region has endured.
Roberts was raised in Amarillo but has lived in Houston for about 17 years. Crenshaw returned to the Houston area after 10 years in the military and attending college in Massachusetts.
“I am dealing with these issues every day since Harvey,” Roberts said.
Crenshaw emphasizes flood control as a key issue, too. He recently added a section on his website addressing the topic and has made it a key part of his talking points at forums and events.
Roberts, who manages the business side of the Lanier Law Firm, said he has a better track record working on those issues and will be better positioned in Congress to work on getting fixes for the region’s flooding woes.
“I will fight every day to make sure we receive the help we need to recover and build the infrastructure we need to prevent this kind of tragedy from ever happening again,” Roberts said.
Key endorsements
In early voting and absentee ballots for the March 6 primary, Roberts dominated. He had 38 percent of that vote going into Election Day — best among the nine candidates running in the race. With just under 21 percent of the early vote, Crenshaw was sitting deep in third place behind Wall.
On Election Day, however, an army of Crenshaw supporters drove a get-outthe-vote effort that pushed Crenshaw into second place — and into the runoff.
“You’ve got to connect with people and get them out to vote,” Crenshaw said.
Crenshaw’s success has landed him some key national endorsements. U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, a rising star in conservative politics, endorsed Crenshaw last week, joining U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions of Dallas, national radio host Hugh Hewitt and astronaut Buzz Aldrin.
“Dan’s a true-grit warrior, and that’s exactly what we need in Congress right now,” Cotton said.
Roberts has focused on more local endorsements, which he says show his deep ties to the community. He’s won support from Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and Harris County Commissioner Jack Cagle.
“He is thoughtful and makes decisions based on facts,” Emmett said in his endorsement. “I look forward to Kevin being in Congress to help us with flood control projects that are so desperately needed.”
Dissecting the district
It’s clear where Roberts and Crenshaw have advantages in the winding 2nd Congressional District.
In the March 6 election , Roberts dominated in the area between Houston and Tomball just off the Tomball Parkway and did well in Kingwood. Crenshaw was strongest around Lake Houston, winning more than a dozen precincts in the northeast sections of Harris County.
The challenge for both candidates will be winning over former supporters of Wall. During the primary, Wall, who was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott, did best in western sections of Harris County between the city of Houston and the Addicks area.
Wall spent more than $6 million of her own money in the race — outspending all eight of the other Republicans in the race combined.
Roberts raised more than $650,000 for his campaign so far, according to the latest campaign finance reports with the Federal Election Commission. Crenshaw raised just under $200,000, according to the FEC.
“My campaign is not about big money,” Crenshaw said. “Our campaign is 100 percent about giving Texans leadership they can be proud of.”
Whoever wins on May 22 will face Democrat Todd Litton in November. Litton easily won the Democratic primary on March 6. The district has a history of leaning Republican. President Donald Trump won 52 percent of the vote among voters who live in the 2nd District.
The candidates are battling for a two-year term in Congress; the job pays $174,000 a year.
Poe, 69, has represented the 2nd Congressional District for 13 years. The Humble Republican announced in the fall he would not seek re-election.
The 2nd Congressional District stretches from west Houston, loops up to the northern edges of Harris County and heads east to include Atascocita and Humble.