Dueling debates feature hopefuls vying to replace Poe and Green

There were no fireworks and few policy differences expressed in the first showdown among the nine Republican candidates hoping to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Ted Poe in Congress.

But in the first Democratic primary in a neighboring congressional district, it was a very different story. The battle to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Gene Green provided plenty of sparks as one candidate questioned another’s residency in the district.

Marine veteran and Galena Park High graduate Augustine Reyes used the first debate in the 29th Congressional district to question how wealthy Democratic donor-turned candidate Tahir Javed could represent the area when he just moved to Houston after more than a decade living in Beaumont.

“You’re not part of our community either, sir,” Reyes said during a debate before the Houston Area Pastor Council on Thursday.

Reyes’ comments came just minutes after Javed said he could tell most of the well-dressed people in the audience were not likely from the 29th Congressional District, which includes more than 700,000 people in parts of east Houston, South Houston and Pasadena. The district is more than 77 percent Latino, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Outsider or ‘champion’?

Reyes, an elevator mechanic, said Javed’s fancy suits “do not speak well to the people of the 29th Congressional District who make less than $32,000 a year.”

Javed fired back later that he would not apologize for living the American dream. He said when he first immigrated from Pakistan to Beaumont in 2001 he came with nothing and worked hard to turn one convenient store into more than 20 businesses, including a hospital in Winnie.

“Yes, I worked hard and made a lot of money,” Javed said at the debate held at Houston’s First Baptist Church.

But Javed, who now lives in Houston, said he’s put that money back in the community building medical centers in underserved communities like in Galena Park.

“I’m a champion for bringing health care to underserved areas,” Javed said.

“That’s what I’ve done for years and years. And that is what our district needs.”

Reyes said as a product of the east side, he feels he can better help the community and the people struggling to make a living.

“I want to be their voice,” Reyes said.

Javed and Reyes are among seven Democrats battling in the March 6 primary. Early voting starts on Feb. 20.

Besides Javed and Reyes, only businessman Pedro Valencia attended the forum. State Sen. Sylvia Garcia, teacher Hector Morales, attorney Roel Garcia and real estate agent Dominique Michelle Garcia did not attend the event.

Four Republicans running for the seat also attended the forum. Phillip Aronoff, Jaimy Blanco, Carmen Maria Montiel and Robert Schafranek all took turns saying the district needs a Republican voice for a change to represent it in Congress.

Stressing backgrounds

The spirited exchange between Javed and Reyes was a sharp contrast from the Republican debate in the 2nd Congressional District that Poe has represented. That 45-minute debate, also organized by the Houston Area Pastor Council on Thursday, served mostly as a chance for the candidates to stress how their backgrounds made them suited for the job.

“I want to take Texas values to D.C. and get D.C. out of Texas,” said Kathaleen Wall, a big Republican Party donor who started her career working on semiconductors.

State Rep. Kevin Roberts hinted at him being the only candidate in the race who has previously been in elective office that could be applied to Capitol Hill.

“I feel a duty to take my proven conservative results to Congress and continue to advocate for faith family and freedom,” Roberts said.

Meanwhile former Navy

SEAL Dan Crenshaw stressed his military service and said when he came home from Afghanistan he realized he needed to join a new fight “defending us from over taxation and regulation and federal overreach.”

In the March 6 primary, the GOP candidates are Crenshaw, Roberts, Wall, health care CEO David Balat, heart surgeon Jon Spiers, attorney Jonny Havens, investment banker Justin Lurie, attorney Malcolm Whittaker, and businessman Rick Walker.

Five Democrats are battling in the Democratic primary on the same day but were not part of Thursday’s debate. The Democrats are Ali A. Khorasani, H. P. Parvizian, J. Darnell Jones, Silky Malik, and Todd Litton.

In the fall, Poe announced he would not seek re-election to the $274,000 a year job.