Vo gets the nod but needs to do more
Sometimes, we wish state Rep. Hubert Vo would put half as much energy into representing Texas House District 149 as he did in becoming a millionaire businessman by the age of 40.
Even just a fraction of the hustle he exhibited in 2004, as a political neophyte, to unseat a powerful Republican budget chief, would do his district some good.
As it is, the Democrat representing the southwest Houston district that includes Alief and Katy has basically become a non-entity in the Texas House, unable to point to a significant accomplishment. He is vice chair of Pensions, Investments & Financial Services. Yet, last year, despite one regular session and three special sessions, he passed only one bill, fixing a technicality in the state’s fair housing law.
Vo again was relegated to Texas Monthly’s list of little-noticed lawmakers it deems “furniture.”
“Thanks to Vo’s efforts,” the magazine mused, tongue firmly planted in cheek, “the House recognized April 21, 2021, as ‘McDonald’s Virtual Legislative Day.’ It was touch-and-go there for a while, but he managed to get it done.”
We endorsed Vo two years ago in part because his opponent seemed to be motivated by such relevant issues as fighting socialism and condemning Vo’s association with Black Lives Matter, which she called a Marxist organization. We noted that Vo is a loyal vote for strong public schools and Medicaid expansion. And he touted as a win the creation of the International Management District.
Not much has changed. Once again, Vo touted the management district and once again he faces Republican challenger Lily Truong, an education consultant who serves on the Alief ISD board of trustees.
Like Vo, Truong has an inspiring story about making it in America after fleeing Vietnam, and she may have a bit more fire in the belly than the incumbent, promising to be highly accessible in office. She says when she’s out campaigning, people tell her it’s the first time they’ve seen a candidate at their door and some say they couldn’t reach Vo when they contacted his office. If elected, Truong said she wouldn’t just hold townhalls, she’d pick different subdivisions on Saturdays and knock on doors to survey constituents on their concerns.
Unfortunately, Truong seems even less clued in on legislative issues.
At some point in our screening, Vo mentioned that “we don’t know what the budget is going to look like” next session, so we asked him what he thought about the comptroller’s projected revenue estimate.
“I can’t tell. I just can’t tell,” he said.
Nor could this 17-year veteran lawmaker even tell us whether the state comptroller was projecting a surplus or a shortfall. For the record, it’s a surplus, a big one: $27 billion.
Truong, asked about the state budget, began talking about the one she helps oversee at Alief ISD. Her experience on the school board has made her more knowledgeable about education issues and we were encouraged that she’s hesitant to get on board with vouchers like many Republicans. But little else she said persuaded us that she’s ready to lead a dynamic, diverse district in the Texas House of Representatives.
Although she repeatedly mentioned crime as a major concern and talked about lacking local police funding, she was stumped when we asked her what the Legislature could do about it. “Right now, I’m still working on getting people to vote for me,” she said.
Likewise, when we asked about Medicaid expansion, Truong talked about the usefulness of the program for the elderly and disabled but didn’t address Texas’ decadelong refusal to expand the program to more uninsured Texans even though the federal government would pay 90 percent of the cost.
“If I get in, I have to see more on the budget to know what’s going on,” Truong said.
A qualified challenger would have already done her homework.
We reluctantly endorse Vo because Republicans have failed to put up a formidable challenger who can truly make a case for providing better representation in the district.
We urge Vo to conjure up some of the moxie that helped him unseat a powerful Republican all those years ago and use it to get things done for his constituents. They deserve more.