Several hours before taking the stage at Hill College’s Performing Arts Center for a ceremony in his honor (link), new state Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, talked to the Tribune-Herald about his first month on the job, his desire to earn the GOP general election nomination and redistricting.

Last month, Birdwell defeated former state Sen. David Sibley, R-Waco, in a special election to represent the 10-county district that stretches from Waco to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex’s southern suburbs. He will finish the term started by Waco Sen. Kip Averitt, which finishes in a little more than five months.

Sen. Brian Birdwell speaks at a swearing-in ceremony Thursday in Hillsboro.
Rod Aydelotte/Tribune-Herald

Q Can you explain what a state senator does when the Legislature isn’t in session and what you’ve been doing since your election?

A We had a committee hearing on the (Senate) Higher Education Committee (on which Birdwell was recently named a member). That was for four hours this morning, and we had the opportunity to visit with and listen and to take testimony from folks scattered throughout the state at various institutions of higher learning. There are three other things we’ve actually been working as well: continuing to meet public officials and servants in the district throughout all the counties that are scattered throughout the district, and continuing to learn about the issues we still face.

NOTE: Birdwell said his district office in Waco will be in the National Lloyds Building. His district director will be “Molly Smith, a longtime Wacoan,” Birdwell said.

Q Elections break people into factions. Have you been able to build bridges with your special election opponent and his supporters since your victory?

A That’s going well. In fact, I’ve spoken with Sen. Sibley on three occasions. Sen. Sibley was very gracious and offered his counsel. And something that I asked of him as well was if I could have the opportunity to visit with him on some things. (Recently retired) Sen. Kip Averitt has been instrumental, as well. I’ve spoken with him a number of times, and, in fact, I’ve visited with him in person twice.

Q What’s your feel for local issues facing McLennan County at this point?

A Baylor has spoken (to me) about their concern about the Big 12 (conference). That’s stabilized. That’s very important to the Waco and McLennan County community.  (Texas State Technical College), they’re on my radar to get a similar briefing with them ... and the Brazos River Authority and McLennan Community College.

Q Can you talk a little bit about what these organizations’ needs are?

A I’m still in that learning process because I haven’t had the opportunity to set those dates and times yet. I’m also trying to do Falls (County), Coryell (County), (and I’m going to be in) Ellis County twice coming up.

NOTE: Birdwell won the election to finish out Averitt’s term, but the county party chairs, both Democratic and Republican, have the opportunity to name replacement candidates for November’s general election, the winner of which will serve in the 2011 legislative session.

Q Will you be the nominee of the Republican Party?

A I’m going to let the county chairs do their duties as directed by the state chair. I’ve expressed my desire to the county chairs to be the nominee. I’m comfortable and confident in my position, but I want to respect the process they have to go through. I don’t want to be presumptive or presumptuous in presuming what they will or will not do.

Q Have you spoken with them?

A Yes, sir, I’ve spoken with each of them — most of them in person. There’s been a great dialogue between us and the county chairs, but there’s a threshold I should not cross that I want to be respectful of.

NOTE: During the special election, Birdwell’s opponents raised questions about his eligibility to serve in the Senate.
Birdwell lived in Virginia while working at the Pentagon and was badly burned when a passenger plane crashed into the building on Sept. 11, 2001.

In 2004, he registered to vote in the state and voted in multiple elections, including the general election in 2006.
Members of Sibley’s campaign argued that because of his Virginia voting history, Birdwell gave up his Texas residency and as a result does not meet a state constitutional requirement that Texas senators live in the state for at least five years to be eligible for the office.

Q Have you put to rest questions about your eligibility?

A I don’t think I have to convince the voters. And we put it to rest in our minds. We had the secretary of state place (my name) on the (special election) ballot. ... We’re very confident and strong in our residency.

Q What about those who have argued that your Virginia voting record made you ineligible for the office?

A I’m in a circumstance of having to remain in Virginia for the medical care and reconstruction necessary to rebuild me for service to the nation. ... I wasn’t going to walk away from my duty as a citizen of this nation, making sure I voted at the ballot box.

Q When you voted in Virginia, did you, for legal purposes, become a citizen of that state?

A No ... I’d already taken numerous actions before voting that demonstrated my intent to return (to Texas).

Q If you’re the senator for District 22 in 2011, how will you approach redistricting, the contentious process in which lawmakers redraw legislative and congressional districts?

A My primary philosophy is, No. 1, keep the counties complete. When you see counties split it’s a disservice to those counties that find themselves with two sitting senators serving a portion of the counties.

Q Is the current Senate district in danger of being split up and added into other state Senate districts? And could it make things hard for your own electoral prospects?

A It’s probably unwise to speculate on what the demographics are going to look like and who’s looking at eating what and so on and so forth, but ultimately my duty is to serve the people of this district and not serve myself.

Q As a candidate you criticized your opponent’s career as a lobbyist and the money he took from political action committees. Will you take money from PACs and from lobbyists?

A I wish to be very judicious in primarily representing the folks of this district and making sure I have very strong in-district support.

Q Does that mean you will turn down money from PACs?

A It depends what principles they’re talking about. What are the principles I’ve espoused in the campaign and what are their principles? That’s the biggest discernment I have to go through.

NOTE: In the final weeks of June, Birdwell received $20,600 in contributions. Of that total, $6,250 came from individuals living outside the district and $9,500 from three PACs.

mshapiro@wacotrib.com

757-5707

RELATED SEARCHES

• New state Sen. Birdwell holds swearing-in ceremony in Hillsboro