I didn't expect this, but when our expected Democratic candidate in TX-10, Jack McDonald,dropped out one week before the filing deadline (ala Bayh), we were left in the lurch. Both Larry Joe Doherty and Dan Grant, who had contested for the nomination in 2008, declined another go. So, at the age of 67, I'm back in it. No one, and least of all Mike McCaul, who is part of the group that has made Congress the mess that it is, should get an unopposed run to another term.
I had started to work with Jack early last Summer passing on things I had learned in my run in '06. I suggest that readers review my posts from that campaign, and in particular, the last two dealing with lessons learned. At his dropout, he had raised almost a million dollars. He was the DCCC dream candidate. A self-funding millionaire with a compelling life story. I'll leave it to Jack for any discussion on his reasons. He is giving back the million dollars, but he contributed the major part of my filing fee from his personal money. There were a large number of volunteers from the '06 campaign that immediately jumped on board. The campaign website is up at www.ankrum2010.com, as is the ACTBlue site accessible from the website.
My filing was reported on the Texas-based Burn Orange Review, and I was immediately challenged with the "cut taxes" mantra. Then, after the State of the Union address, McCaul offered his rebuttal to the President with the same old "cut taxes" Republican answer to everything. I responded as follows in an article in the Sealy, TX News : "When Congressman McCaul sent out an e-mail critique of President Obama's job creation ideas after the State of the Union address, he trotted out that old mantra of income tax cuts. I like having my income taxes cut as much as the next person (It's not worth as much to me because I'm not a multi-millionaire) but it is demonstrably false to say income tax cuts increase employment. At the beginning of George W Bush's first term, private sector job growth was 2% per year. After his huge tax cuts, private sector job growth dropped in a straight line to 0% per year at the end of his 8-year term (New York Times, Aug 7, 2009). The tax cuts are still in effect and job growth has gone negative. Since I'm not a millionaire, I'd rather have a job and be paying taxes as compared to thinking lower taxes would lead to a job, but still have no job. I bet you would too. Small Businesses make most of the jobs in this country, so rather than cutting income taxes, lets cut their taxes. The President has proposed lower capital gains taxes on small businesses, lower employment taxes on small and large businesses, lower taxes on capital equipment purchases, and a direct loan program for small businesses. I would add to that an "Invest in America" program where we use federal dollars to repair bridges, repair and improve water and sewer systems, and repair and build roads. That will put people back to work and they will buy services from other Americans--and these jobs cannot be shipped overseas. I'd pay for that program by taxing all those financial transactions that the big banks are doing back and forth with each other, rather than making loans to real businesses. Let's tax those huge bonuses that bankers are paying each other for trading with each other, instead of making loans to real businesses. If they can't make loans to real businesses that will employ people, then let's tax them and fund real jobs for real people."
Jack's withdrawal has pretty well put the kabosh on serious funding for this race in TX-10. This was expected to be the most expensive House race in 2010, with each candidate spending some $3 million, each. The only way to make a race a certain loser is to have no one on the ballot in opposition. I stepped up and did it. Now, I need you. I need a thousand people to contribute $100 to offer a serious challenge to McCaul. You all know from 2006 that I run a very frugal campaign with every dollar going into product--no offices, no paid staffs, no consultants. I held McCaul to 55% of the vote in 2006 spending some $70,000, in a District gerrymandered by Tom Delay to be 65% Republican. I can give him a serious run with your help, and who knows what might happen? But, if I weren't on the ballot at all, it's obvious what would have happened.
Please go to the website www.ankrum2010.com and contribute Act Blue Contributions
