Dems Set Sights on SD 10

Republican State Sen. Kim Brimer is vulnerable. Brimer, who represents District 10, will no doubt face a tough reelection battle next year, and the Democrats could very well capture this seat. (Tarrant County Democrats seem genuinely optimistic about the upcoming SD 10 contest. And trust me, genuine optimism among Tarrant County Democrats has rarely been seen the past few years.)

Why do the Dems have a real chance at winning SD 10? There are a couple of points worth considering. First, as a recent Lone Star Project poll shows, Brimer is not exactly well liked or even well known in SD 10. In a recent survey of likely voters, only 18.3% gave Brimer a favorable rating, and 49.7% did not know enough about Brimer to give him a rating. These numbers are especially surprising because Brimer has served in the Lege since 1989. (He served in the House until his election to the Senate in 2002.) Thus, Brimer’s poll numbers are poor for an incumbent.

Secondly, Dems are excited about the SD 10 numbers from last year’s District Attorney election. SD 10 lies completely within Tarrant County, but it doesn’t include all of Tarrant County. In the 2006 race for Tarrant County DA, Democrat Terri Moore received more than 49% of the vote within SD 10 (49.3% by my calculations). This fact alone shows that a strong candidate with good organization has a genuine chance of turning SD 10 blue.

In addition, and as the LSP poll suggests, Brimer doesn’t have a long list of legislative accomplishments that will impress SD 10 voters. In fact, one of the things Brimer is best known for is the “Brimer Loophole.” This is the scheme where Brimer used campaign cash to pay “rent” for an Austin condo owned by Brimer’s wife. (Brimer inspired a few other lawmakers and their spouses to utilize a similar arrangement, but the loophole bears Brimer’s name.)

Now former Fort Worth City Councilwoman Wendy Davis has already announced that she will enter the SD 10 race as a Democrat. (Davis resigned from the City Council this past Thursday.) Democratic County Chair Art Brender has also expressed interest in running. (If anyone has any thoughts on Davis vs. Brender, please leave a comment.)

This is a race that political observers throughout the state will be following. Since I live in SD 10, I hope to follow it closely myself. And count me among those who are genuinely optimistic about a Democratic victory.