Cheney Extols Neugebauer on Stenholm's Turf

Lubbock, TX, Avalanche-Journal ^ | 12-06-03 | Fuquay, John

[Theodore R.]

Cheney extols Neugebauer on Stenholm's turf By JOHN FUQUAY AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

ABILENE — Vice President Dick Cheney was in the hometown of an incumbent Democrat on Friday touting the president's record and urging voters to support Republican Rep. Randy Neugebauer of Lubbock.

Cheney's appearance at a fund-raiser for the freshman representative was a brazen campaign move on turf represented for the past 24 years by U.S. Rep. Charlie Stenholm, D-Abilene.

Stenholm and Neugebauer were thrown into the same congressional district during this year's raucous redistricting battle initiated by GOP members to increase Republican seats in Washington.

"My main concern is to make certain Randy Neugebauer gets another term in the United States House of Representatives," Cheney said. "... Randy is of course exactly the kind of congressman we need in Washington."

Associated Press Vice-President Dick Cheney addresses an audience during a fund-raising appearance Monday, Nov. 24, 2003 in Cleveland. Ohio Gov. Bob Taft was the host of a $2,000-a-plate dinner at the Intercontinental Hotel and Conference Center near downtown.

Drawing from his 10 years as the congressional representative from Wyoming, Cheney said Neugebauer already has become established as an independent thinker with good judgment.

"He's one of the newest members of the House of Representatives, but he's already one of the best we have and he's already earned another term in the United States Congress," Cheney said.

Neugebauer won a razor-thin runoff election in June to succeed Larry Combest, R-Lubbock, who retired from the District 19 seat.

Stenholm, in his last re-election in November 2002, narrowly defeated a GOP former member of the Abilene City Council for the District 17 seat. Stenholm has served in the House since 1979.

District 19 and District 17 were combined during redistricting. While Neugebauer is moving forward with a bid to win the seat for the new district, Stenholm is betting that a federal court challenge will nullify the new district lines.

In filing for re-election earlier this week, Stenholm suggested that Neugebauer doesn't represent Abilene.

"Some of you may wonder why I am filing in the current 17th District seat rather than in one of the districts created by the illegal, gerrymandering plan recently passed in Austin," Stenholm said. 'It is very simple. Until the courts give final approval to those districts, they simply don't exist."

Neugebauer spokesman Anthony Hulen said the district lines don't matter.

Neugebauer

"He is already a congressman of this area. He doesn't pay attention to district lines, he pays attention to all of West Texas," Hulen said.

The District 19 to which Neugebauer was elected included Midland, but Republicans in Austin moved the Permian Basin into a separate district. To replace the population loss, the new District 19 swings east to include Abilene.

The U.S. Justice Department has until Dec. 22 to approve the new districts. A federal trial about the districts begins next week.

Candidates for U.S. House seats have until Jan. 16 to file for election. The primaries are in March.

Hulen said the fund-raiser brought in about $155,000 — all from Abilene and the surrounding rural area. Neugebauer raised $790,000 prior to the June runoff.

"This is a wonderful turnout," Neugebauer said to about 250 people at the Abilene Civic Center. "I appreciate the way you have welcomed Dick and I."

Cheney spent much of his speech praising President Bush's war on terrorism and Iraq, the rebounding economy and the administration's tax cuts.

Neugebauer said he had a few moments alone with the vice president before the fund-raiser.

"We visited some on the plane and in the car coming over; we had a nice visit," Neugebauer said.

"I think they're sending a message out early to folks in West Texas that they want Randy Neugebauer to come back and help them and be a part of their team," he said.

john.fuquay@lubbockonline.com 766-8722

[Theodore R.]

I would imagine that the GOP is privately very worried about losing the House seat from Lubbock that it has held since 1985. Still, the geography may favor Neugebauer, even if the name ID favors Stenholm.

[skinkinthegrass]

Still, the geography may favor Neugebauer, even if the name ID favors Stenholm.

I though Stenholm was a "Blue Dog" Dem.

[Theodore R.]

Stenholm is among the self-proclaimed "Blue Dogs." He is better known than his freshman congressional rival and may gain the support of many Republicans next year.