A political shootout in a south Texas district

Mark Murray Deputy political director

WASHINGTON -- Ready or not, this year’s political campaign season is upon us, and Washington handicappers already have circled what they expect to be the best -- and most contentious -- races.

In Pennsylvania, there’s the Senate contest between Republican incumbant Rick Santorum and Democrat Bob Casey Jr. In Texas, there’s GOP Rep. Tom DeLay’s battle for re-election. And in California, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger dukes it out in his own bid for re-election.

But one other race, which will be decided less than a month from now on March 7, could be added to the list: the Texas congressional primary between Latino Democrats Henry Cuellar and Ciro Rodriguez. While both certainly aren’t household names, and while it might not even be that close of a race, this primary is a classic Texas political brawl -- and much more.

It pits an incumbent, Cuellar, versus ex-incumbent Rodriguez, who narrowly lost two years ago; it involves accusations of betrayal, party disloyalty, and voting irregularities; it features the conservative Club for Growth and liberal blogs parachuting into the battle; and it even adds a cameo appearance by Victor Morales, the quixotic Democrat who became famous for driving his white pickup across the Lone Star state while campaigning for the Senate in the 1990s. In short, if this first grudge match of 2006 is any guide, this year’s campaign season will be quite a ride.

Money is on the incumbent
So far, analysts believe the race is Cuellar’s to lose, due in part to his significant fundraising advantage. At the end of 2005, Cuellar had nearly $300,000 cash on hand, compared with only about $40,000 for Rodriguez. But Rodriguez hopes to use some of Cuellar’s ties to the Republican Party, plus some of his votes for GOP-backed legislation, against him in this strongly Democratic congressional district. (There isn't even a  Republican candidate in the field). And recently, liberal political blogs like Daily Kos have helped Rodriguez raise cash online.

“Cuellar has some vulnerabilities with his voting record,” said Amy Walter, who monitors House races for the non-partisan Cook Political Report. “But I just don’t think Ciro is doing everything to make this as competitive as it could be.”

The story begins in 2002, when Cuellar ran against Republican congressman Henry Bonilla. During that race, he received significant help from Rodriguez, then the congressman from San Antonio, who wanted to see the Democrats pick up Bonilla’s seat. But after Cuellar narrowly lost, and after Texas Republicans -- in their controversial redistricting plan a year later -- reconfigured Rodriguez’s district to include Cuellar’s hometown of Laredo, Texas, Cuellar did what some thought was an act of betrayal: He challenged Rodriguez for his seat in the 2004 primary, and won. (Cuellar went on to defeat his Republican opponent in the general election, 59-39 percent.)

Congressman Henry Cuellar, center.

That left a bad taste in the mouths of some Democrats in Texas and Washington, which only intensified after Cuellar arrived on Capitol Hill, and was seen as being a little too cozy with the GOP. In fact, Cuellar -- who had endorsed George W. Bush over Al Gore in the 2000 presidential race, and was appointed by Republican Texas Gov. Rick Perry to become secretary of state -- ended up casting votes that irked Democratic Party leaders, like his vote in favor of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Because of that vote and others, he became the first Democrat to earn an endorsement from the Club for Growth, a conservative interest group. “He has a record of supporting pro-growth economic policies,” noted Pat Toomey, the Club’s president.

A picture is worth SEVENTY-thousand ...
More recently, Cuellar made some Democrats furious when a photo was published showing President Bush grabbing Cuellar’s cheeks at the State of the Union. After liberal blogs posted the photo, Rodriguez’s campaign has raked in the cash, more than $70,000 from online donors, according to ActBlue, a Democratic online clearinghouse.

“He has pissed off every single Democrat [in Washington],” Rodriguez said in an interview. In fact, campaign-finance records show that at least 10 current members of Congress have donated to Rodriguez’s campaign, while not a single one has given to the incumbent Cuellar. “That never happens,” Rodriguez added.

One of those Rodriguez contributors, Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, D-Texas, says this race is “uncomfortable” for him, but he explains he’s trying to express his support for Rodriguez in a manner that doesn’t alienate Cuellar. “I don’t have to say anything negative of Henry Cuellar to say something positive about Ciro Rodriguez.”

Still, Gonzalez questions whether Cuellar should have run against Rodriguez two years ago. “I don’t think Cuellar should have challenged Ciro,” he said.

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