(Texas)District 28 hopeful awaits opponent(perpetual candidate in CD 23)

While Democratic foes Ciro Rodriguez and Henry Cuellar are focused on their battle in the 4th Court of Appeals, Republican Jim Hopson is block-walking in a bid to win support from swing voters.

Hopson, a Seguin tax lawyer and certified public accountant, will be facing either Cuellar or Rodriguez in the November general election for the 28th Congressional District seat.

Cuellar and Rodriguez, who holds the seat today, are locked in a court battle to determine who will be declared the Democratic nominee. Rodriguez was ahead after the initial count of the votes, but Cuellar moved into the lead after recounts in the Webb and Zapata counties.

The Texas Legislative Council's analysis of the 28th Congressional District shows Democratic statewide candidates got an average of 58.9 percent of the vote in 2002 while statewide GOP contenders averaged 41 percent.

Those are daunting numbers for Hopson, a first-time candidate who has spent about $4,000. The race hasn't been targeted by national Republicans, making his prospects look even less inviting.

But he hopes the bitter fight between Cuellar and Rodriguez will split the Democratic vote in November.

"A number of Democrats" have offered to help if Rodriguez loses the court battle, said Hopson, who predicted that Cuellar would be the Democratic nominee. He expects the full 4th Court to reverse a three-judge panel's ruling granting Rodriguez a district court trial.

"Most people don't believe that the votes in Zapata and Webb Counties were above board," Hopson said. "I'm not saying Henry had anything to do with it."

Hopson won the GOP primary by getting a huge margin in Guadalupe County, which provided almost 60 percent of his votes in the runoff. He credits that vote to block-walking, and he plans to walk the entire Bexar County portion of the district.

"Bexar is the big key," said Hopson, who said he would prefer to face Cuellar because he believes Bexar Democrats are angered by questions about the legitimacy of the Democratic primary vote in Cuellar's home turf.

Hopson said he likes Rodriguez, although he has major issue differences with him. He expects Rodriguez to run again in 2006 even if he loses this year.

"I think Ciro would rather run against me in two years than Cuellar," Hopson said, laying out a rationale he hopes Democrats will use to vote for him.

However, Hopson doesn't seem too far removed from the Democratic contenders as he campaigns on promises to bring home the bacon for the poor district, which desperately needs economic development.

"I'm not going up there to represent the Republicans. I'm going up there to represent the district," Hopson said.

Hopson has yet to prove that he can raise enough money to be financially competitive in the race, but the Democrats' difficulties will certainly make the general election more entertaining than would otherwise have been possible.

Losing apparently doesn't bother Joe Sullivan, the Democratic nominee for the 23rd Congressional District seat.

Express-News files show that Sullivan has run unsuccessfully for Congress at least nine times, and he ran for the Texas Senate in 2002.

This year, Sullivan is challenging Republican Rep. Henry Bonilla in his fourth bid for the seat. He is virtually guaranteed another loss.

Sullivan's other five congressional defeats were in the 21st Congressional District.

2 posted on 07/05/2004 2:50:23 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch (He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. Jn5:32)

Hoping that disaffected primary voters will vote for you so that their candidate can run against you in two years is not conducive to a successful campaign, much less for building Republican support for future runs. Our only hope of winning was if it was Laredo Republican Quico Canseco against San Antonio Democrat Ciro Rodriguez, since Canseco could get not only Laredoans who would be upset that Ciro stole the primary, but conservative and moderate Democrats who were attracted to the moderate Cuellar but are repulsed by the liberal Rodriguez. Alas, it looks like ot will be Cuellar against Hopson, and if Cuellar doesn't become a Ciro-type liberal he will probably hold the seat for as long as he wishes.

3 posted on 07/05/2004 7:35:21 PM PDT by AuH2ORepublican (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice, moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)

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