EDITORIAL: Judging two worthy candidates
Early voting begins today in Texas, marking the countdown to one of the most-watched races in the nation — that between longtime Democratic incumbent Chet Edwards, 58, of Waco, and Republican challenger Bill Flores, 56, of Bryan.
This race has been one of the most polarizing we’ve seen in our area. We know many Republicans and veterans join Democrats in supporting Edwards because of his focus on constituent services and local causes, including helping Baylor University preserve the Big 12 Conference last summer.
We also know many other Republicans, including tea party members, strongly support Flores, retired from the oil and gas industry. They like his vows to shrink the size of government, including repealing Obamacare, pushing to implement term limits and eliminate the U.S. Department of Energy.
Edwards voted against health insurance reform and cap-and-trade environmental bills pushed by the leadership of his own party, irking Democrats, yet garnering suspicion by some Republicans who doubt the sincerity of his opposition.
Others remember Edwards’ fight to save the Waco Veterans Affairs Medical Center when it was targeted for closure. Many salute his energy in veterans care and defense issues involving nearby Fort Hood and L-3.
Supporters of Flores tout his significant, lifelong business background and the fact he rails against government bailouts, even as critics point to revelations that his involvement in a bankruptcy left taxpayers on the hook for about $7.5 million.
Others rally to his belief in looking elsewhere besides government for job creation. And if the government wants to take action, he says, it can do so by fully (and at long last) assuming its constitutional responsibilities in securing our borders.
We can add little insight to what voters obviously already have about this race. We do encourage our readers to deliberate carefully. To help, we invite them to weigh responses by these worthy candidates on a series of policy questions in print and online in the Tribune-Herald beginning Tuesday.
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