San Antonio Express-News

In key House races, Davis, Jones the best candidates

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Congressio­nal District 21 has morphed from a safe Republican seat to one of the most competitiv­e races in the country, pitting Democratic challenger Wendy Davis against U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, who has served a single term.

We recommend Davis, a former state senator and 2014 Democratic nominee for governor. She knows the legislativ­e process, is knowledgea­ble on a wide range of issues and is more attuned and ready to respond to the most urgent crises of our times. If elected, she would hit the ground running.

Calling health care the most important issue for her to work on, Davis takes seriously the threat of COVID-19. She also is serious about mitigating man-made climate change, but in a way that recognizes the many jobs tied to the oil and gas sector. That means re-entering the Paris climate agreement, incentiviz­ing wind, solar and geothermal technology, and providing training to workers in the energy sector. She would also be a voice for comprehens­ive immigratio­n reform and Dreamers.

Roy is smart, informed and engaging. We are grateful he took an hour to speak with us. Should he win re-election, we hope to continue that dialogue. Yes, we differ with Roy on many issues. All the more reason to hear from him.

That said, while he accepts that some degree of man-made climate change is occurring, he also told us the left has “sensationa­lized” climate change “in a way that is about fear and hysteria.” And while it is clear Roy takes the COVID-19 pandemic seriously — one of his biggest accomplish­ments is a bipartisan bill that gives small businesses more flexibilit­y for Paycheck Protection Program loans — he likewise characteri­zed the initial response to the pandemic as being politicize­d. We were also struck by a comment he made in May to the Texas Tribune that “we need herd immunity.”

Roy is also opposed to Obamacare and has instead advocated for a plan that would place funds into personal savings accounts for people. We don’t see this as a suitable replacemen­t for the Affordable Care Act.

A Democrat hasn’t represente­d this district, which runs north of San Antonio, across the Hill Country and into Austin, since Bob Krueger was elected in 1974 and served two terms. That tenure was anchored by the 32 years served by Lamar Smith until his retirement in 2018, when he was succeeded by Roy.

But because Roy was elected by less than 3 percentage points, it’s certainly possible Davis could flip the seat. We will know soon.

In Congressio­nal District 23, which has long been competitiv­e, we recommend Democratic candidate Gina Ortiz Jones.

Stretching 550 miles from San Antonio to El Paso along the U.s.-mexico border, the district has been as volatile as it is large. Since 2006, Republican­s and Democrats have traded the seat back and forth with only the current incumbent, Republican Will Hurd, able to hold it for three consecutiv­e terms.

Hurd’s decision to not seek a fourth term set up this November’s matchup between Jones, a former U.S. Air Force intelligen­ce officer, and Republican candidate Tony Gonzales, a former Navy cryptologi­st. Gonzales is passionate and has a promising political future, but his answers to questions were painfully vague. Jones is superbly qualified and deeply knowledgea­ble on a wide range of issues, particular­ly health care, national security, immigratio­n and trade. Jones nearly defeated Hurd in 2018, raising her national profile.

She is a graduate of John Jay High School and Boston University, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics as well as a bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies. Jones also has a master’s degree from the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies.

During her active-duty service, Jones was deployed to Iraq. Since leaving the military, she’s advised on operations in Latin America and Africa. Under President Barack Obama, she was the senior adviser for trade enforcemen­t before serving as a director for investment at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representa­tive.

Few congressio­nal districts are as directly touched by the trio of issues of immigratio­n, national security and health care as District 23. On these and other issues, Jones would bring a fresh voice and uniquely informed perspectiv­e to Congress. She is an outstandin­g candidate.

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