The latest member of San Antonio’s state Home delegation, state Rep. Marc LaHood, (R-San Antonio) has barely been on the job three months, however he’s already drawn his first high-profile challenger.
Former San Antonio Councilman Reed Williams filed a treasurer’s report on March 7 to start elevating cash for a marketing campaign in Home District 121, which received’t be on the poll till 2026.
Although Williams has run for workplace earlier than as a Republican, he stated he’s since realized how little he has in frequent with at this time’s GOP, and is as an alternative operating beneath the banner of the Democratic Occasion.
“I imagine that the Democratic Occasion proper now could be lots greater tent,” he informed the San Antonio Report.
Williams’ transfer comes as a rising variety of native Republicans have grown so pissed off with their social gathering’s rightward march that they’re keen to group up with Democrats to attempt to cease it.
LaHood received the seat final yr after defeating then-state Rep. Steve Allison (R-Alamo Heights) within the Republican major — a part of an costly effort amongst conservative teams in search of to root out Republicans who oppose faculty vouchers. Throughout the state, 11 candidates endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott ousted GOP incumbents.
After his major loss, Allison, together with former GOP state Sen. Jeff Wentworth, took the weird step of endorsing the Democrat operating towards LaHood, who misplaced 52.6% to 47.4%.
“It’s form of disturbing,” Williams stated of that race. “As a result of [Allison] took one vote totally different, they spent [$1 million] simply transferring him out of the way in which and placing someone else in there.”
Williams stated he plans to assist fund his personal marketing campaign with private sources.
On the state Capitol, main coverage discussions within the Home have been sluggish to begin this session.
On the state Capitol, main coverage discussions within the Home have been sluggish to begin this session.
After a contentious speaker’s race, Home members solely acquired their committee assignments in mid-February, and LaHood hasn’t had the prospect to vote on main laws, his marketing campaign stated.
“Marc LaHood challenged a preferred incumbent in a three-way major, prevailed with no runoff, after which was elected to the Texas Home after the Democrats gave it their greatest shot in November,” LaHood’s marketing campaign marketing consultant Elliott Griffin stated. “He’s now doing the work that he campaigned on and we’re ready for any future problem, wherever they could come from.”
A race shapes up
Williams faces an uphill problem convincing Democrats to place their religion in him for a race that is still one of many social gathering’s greatest pickup alternatives on the Home map — despite the fact that it’s nonetheless drawn to favor Republicans.
“The earlier you can begin, the earlier you possibly can study, sooner you possibly can right errors,” Williams stated of his determination to begin operating now. “It takes a very long time to fulfill individuals. If I simply dropped into the Democratic major in the course of the interval to enroll, they assume I’m some alien from outer house.”
The previous power govt represented District 8 on the Metropolis Council — a nonpartisan workplace — from 2009 to 2013, and sought the Republican nomination for a state Senate seat in 2016.
He took simply 7% of the vote in that six-way race — an expertise he stated highlighted his disconnect with the GOP.
Extra not too long ago Williams briefly thought of operating as an unbiased candidate for a seat on the Bexar County Commissioners Court docket in 2022, however dropped the thought when he realized how tough it was to run outdoors of the two-party system.
“I’ve been wandering round within the wilderness on the lookout for a spot to suit politically,” he stated.
Williams stated he needs the state to deal with workforce points he believes are holding the area again, and that he aligns extra intently with Democrats on points like strengthening pubic training, increasing entry to baby care, transportation and public security.
“I feel the events — and I’ll use plural right here — have form of gotten away from what I imagine is the financial engine of our nation, which is the working household,” he stated.
