Despite woes, Reynolds fights to keep his seat

When state Rep. Ron Reynolds learned he would face Democratic primary opposition this year for the first time since he won his seat, he called it “the biggest challenge of my political career.”

Reynolds went on to battle three candidates from the party who sought to serve House District 27, an area Reynolds has represented since 2010. Victory did not come in a landslide: a close finish forced him into a runoff, which he won by a slim but safe margin.

Reynolds, after all, was not entering the primary untarnished. Late last year, a Montgomery County jury convicted him on five counts of misdemeanor barratry, the illegal solicitation of legal clients known as “ambulance chasing.” He represented himself in the trial, fighting allegations that he unlawfully paid someone to solicit clients involved in accidents. He lost and subsequently received a year-long jail sentence, a conclusion he deemed racially motivated and “a modern-day lynching.” He has appealed the conviction.

The 43-year-old incumbent now faces one last barrier to victory in November: a Republican and fellow lawyer named Ken Bryant.

Reynolds, the House Democratic whip, said he expects to be re-elected. Bryant, who has served as a Fort Bend ISD trustee, declined to comment for this story without

knowing who the Houston Chronicle was going to endorse. The Chronicle news division and editorial page are separate divisions, and the editorial board ultimately made no endorsement in the November race because Bryant did not meet with it.

A Reynolds loss in November would represent a “huge upset,” said Jay Aiyer, assistant professor of political science at Texas Southern University.

District for Dems

House District 27 includes the cities of Stafford and Meadows Place, plus parts of Sugar Land, Missouri City and Arcola. It was drawn to elect a Democrat, Aiyer said.

“We’ve run someone every year for the last 20 years and not won the seat,” acknowledged Mike Gibson, chairman of the Republican Party in Fort Bend County.

Gibson said the “core constituency” that supported Reynolds in the runoff is likely to support him again in the general election. A number of notable political figures, including Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Congress members Al Green and Sheila Jackson Lee, endorsed Reynolds in the primary.

Aiyer attributed this success so far to what he called a “disconnect” in voters’ minds between the criminal allegations Reynolds faces and his ability as a legislator. Reynolds has been well-liked and respected by leadership and peers in the House, Aiyer said, opinions that seem to have been strong enough to overcome personal allegations some may find troubling, and on which his Democratic primary contenders had sought to capitalize.

“I think voters, by and large, stood by me because of my strong record and my advocacy for them in my three terms in office,” Reynolds said.

“I believe that we’ve weathered the storm and we haven’t missed a beat.”

Personal problems

Still, the criminal case has taken its toll. Reynolds was suspended from practicing law starting in May, pending the barratry case’s resolution. In July, Reynolds filed for bankruptcy, listing more than $1.3 million in liabilities.

In the bankruptcy filings, Reynolds listed outstanding payments that included $3,000 for unpaid Houston-area tolls, $15,000 for fines imposed by the Texas Ethics Commission, and more than $500,000 for damages that a judge in April ordered him to pay a former client. The judge ruled that Reynolds failed to pay the client her share of a settlement related to her daughter’s death in a car crash.

Ahead of the March primary, Bryant, 63, said in a phone interview that we was running “to be a public servant for the district.” He noted that he had neither been charged nor convicted in a criminal case. Among the issues important to him, he listed improving finances and infrastructure in the area, reducing the high school drop-out rate and ensuring police have what they need to protect citizens.

Reynolds, meanwhile, has retained an attorney to work on his appeal in the barratry case. His top issues, as listed on his website, include: criminal justice reform, protection of civil liberties and access to affordable health care.

Reynolds said the experience of the last year have proved his ability to handle adversity.

“You don’t know how strong you are until your strength is tested,” he said.