There is a lot of attention being focused on the race in my home district of TX-17. It's sort of an anomaly to people since President Bush lives here but it is represented by Democrat Chet Edwards (as if people are just going to throw out an incumbent because someone moves here).
Mr. Edwards' challenger is Iraq War veteran (and multi-millionaire) Van Taylor. He's the only Republican Iraq War veteran running for Congress, and he's running to the right in order to get Republicans to vote for him in what can be charitably called a DeLayed District (or I can call it a partisan gerrymander).
How much of an advantage is Mr. Taylor's service in this race? According to Todd Gillman, it isn't one.
The number of veterans in Congress has long dwindled, and now stands at 106 in the House and 31 in the Senate. The American Legion, which doesn't endorse candidates, would welcome more, said legislative director Steve Robertson, because veterans bring a healthy insight on crucial issues.
"Guys and gals that are coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan do have a leg up on lawmakers who have not been over there," Mr. Robertson said.
But with a "very strong veterans advocate" such as Mr. Edwards, an opponent would need more than an impressive war record, he said. "For someone to challenge Representative Edwards on his veterans advocacy would be an uphill battle. We haven't had any problems with Mr. Edwards on any national defense issues, either."
Thomas Myers, a Baylor University political scientist, said Mr. Edwards isn't vulnerable on such issues. "All Mr. Taylor has is that he served. Chet Edwards can go back through term after term and point out what he has actually done," he said.
In this race, the only asset I think Taylor has is that he has absolutely no legislative record with which to hang himself like Arlene Wohlgemuth did in 2004. Even that is a double-edged sword, since he has the uphill battle of convincing some voters to give up seniority in the Congressman just for party affiliation. No, still trying to handicap this race, I have to say Edwards has all the advantages and it is his race to lose.
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