Sparks fly as Dems debate
Candidates for governor spar on abortion, schools
AUSTIN — The two Democrats struggling to cross the finish line first in the May 22 gubernatorial runoff had sharp exchanges Friday night over abortion, immigration policy and public school finances as they squared off in their only debate.
The forum provided the first political sparks in the six-month campaign as former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez slammed Houston investor Andrew White for his personal pro-life stance, suggesting that he had implied that women who had abortions “do not value life.”
She said he should apologize to Texas women.
He denied ever saying or implying that, and said his personal view will not affect his support of the Roe V. Wade mandate allowing abortions. He said he shares his position on the issue with former Vice President Joe Biden and former vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine.
“She fired the one bullet she had. It was untrue,” White said after the debate.
Both White and Valdez
said they would veto any new anti-abortion measures should they become governor and would support legislation to roll back current laws that limit women’s choice.
They both were eager to energize voters for what assuredly will be a low-turnout election, and they jousted in the debate at St. James’ Episcopal Church over numerous issues important to Democratic voters. After the event, which was carried on cable systems only in some parts of the state and livestreamed on the internet, both candidates said they gave winning performances.
Early voting starts Monday in the race to see who will face Republican incumbent Greg Abbott in November.
White was questioned about his church’s stance against gay marriage and homosexuality, to which he said he personally supports LGBTQ equal rights — and noted he received the endorsement of the state’s largest LGBTQ organization.
Valdez, a lesbian, shot back she had been endorsed by many other state LGBTQ groups and was in a better position to represent those Texans.
Valdez was put on the defensive about why she agreed to allow federal immigration agents into the Dallas County jail while she was sheriff, a decision that moderator Gromer Jeffers of The Dallas Morning News said was at odds with the positions of immigration advocates who said she should have refused — as did Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez.
“I did not bring (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) into the jail,” Valdez responded. “There are no prefect solutions. I made the decision because we going to lose funds.
“I had to make imperfect decisions,” she said. “I did what was best for the communities.”
Border issues
White was also grilled about his ownership in a border security company that has helped federal immigration agents detect and capture undocumented immigrants attempting to sneak into Texas from Mexico.
“It’s a humanitarian issue. Our technology saves lives,” White answered, saying he is working to sell the company at the suggestion of a Latino advocacy group that has endorsed him.
For her part, Valdez asserted that she is the only one of the two who has fought actively against anti-immigrant Republican legislation for years.
On taxes, both candidates were quizzed for details about how they will pay for their proposed reforms in education and health care, among other plans, that carry big price tags.
Without giving specifics, Valdez said she will work to close loopholes in current law and will scour the state budget to ensure that it aligns with Texans’ priorities. White said he will close property-tax loopholes for owners of skyscrapers that allow them to greatly cut their taxes and will expand gambling at horse racetracks to raise additional revenues for schools.
Both candidates said they will support having the state pay a larger share of public school costs, to reduce the burden on local homeowners. Both endorsed universal pre-K for children as a step forward to improving education in Texas.
To a question on how they would limit gentrification in Texas’ larger cities, where longtime residents with limited incomes are being forced out because of higher taxes, both said they supported affordable housing incentives — though their details varied.
Claiming at one point that Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are “driving the crazy train” of divisive ultra-conservative policies in Texas, White tried to cast himself as the Democrat who can attract support from enough moderate Republicans in November to defeat Abbott — in a state where GOP voters outnumber Democrats by 800,000.
Even so, Valdez insisted she is the better choice. “I am the candidate of the working Texans, and I will never, never, never stop working for you,” she said.
Both said they will support whomever the Democratic nominee is in November, even if it is not them.
Church issues
Earlier Friday, a war of words had erupted over White’s prochoice position on abortion, after a prominent Texas pro-life group usually aligned with Republicans blasted the Texas Democratic Party for pressuring White to “renounce his pro-life values” to run as a Democrat.
“(White’s) previously-stated stance of being ‘deeply, personally’ pro-life and his position as an elder of a Houston church that is part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) gave us hope that the Democratic Party would be open to a pro-life candidate,” Pojman said.
“As an elder in a PCA church, Mr. White was tasked with upholding the Church’s teachings, which include opposing abortion in all forms. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be.”
The Houston Chronicle reported that White had resigned his position as an elder as a result of the controversy over his public pro-choice position as a candidate.
“For too long, the Democratic Party of Texas has abandoned Texans who believe in defending the sanctity of life,” Pojman said. “They have turned the abortion debate into a litmus test and excluded candidates who seek to bring a pro-life voice into the party, and thus have forced Mr. White to abandon his pro-life position.”
White rejected Pojman’s call to be pro-life.
“Let me be clear: I trust women to make their own health care decisions. Period,” White said. “Once again, Abbott and his allies are scrambling to try to pick the Democratic nominee for governor. But Democratic primary voters get to decide.”