Dan Barrett Wins!

Texas Democrats and clear-thinking Republicans are one vote closer to ending Tom Craddick's autocracy in Texas. Dan Barrett defeated Mark Shelton in yesterday's District 97 runoff with 52 percent of the vote.

I took that picture of Dan at the polling place at Lily B. Clayton Elementary on election day in November and had a chance to talk to him briefly. He's good people. He's worked hard and he deserves this victory.

Congratulations, Dan! I'm looking forward to calling you my State House Representative in Austin.

UPDATE: Check out this column from Bud Kennedy. It's an interesting analysis of the District 97 runoff.

BOR Q&A with Dan Barrett

Burnt Orange Report has a long Q&A with Dan Barrett, the lone Democrat running for the District 97 State House seat on my side of town. Take a look and see what you think because there are six Republicans in the running and I'm thinking Dan has an excellent chance of making it to Austin.

More Cowtown Election News

Burnt Orange Report sez Tarrant County Democratic Party Chairman Art Brender is not a declared candidate for Senate District 10. "In fact, based on his speech last night, he sounds like a County Chair that will remain on the job till the end of his term in 2008," Todd Hill writes. "Also, the first declared Democrat candidate for the open HD 97 seat vacated by Anna Mowery is 2006 candidate Dan Barrett. Dan declared, to approving applause, 'a Democrat is going to win District 97!'" Let's hope so.