Chet Edwards - Texas Congressman - Still Fighting

I live in Central Texas where Democrats are hard to find. However, my U.S. Representative in Congress is a Democrat by the name of Chet Edwards. President Bush is also represented, in Congress, by Chet Edwards since the president's official address is in Crawford, Texas. A few years ago, the then House Majority Leader Tom DeLay convinced the Texas Senate to redraw congressional districts in Texas so it would be easier for Republicans to win more seats in Congress. That move, lead by Tom DeLay, allowed most Republicans running for U.S. House seats to defeat there democratic opponents. However, Chet Edwards remained in office and won reelection, in a hard fought campaign, in a very Republican leaning redrawn district.

I am a late comer in my support of Representative Chet Edwards because like most of my neighbors I grew up in a very Republican part of the country. However, after a GOP lead Congress and President Bush decided to get involved in the personal family matters of the Terri Schiavo family, my right leaning views of the world started to change, quickly. I still remember how angry I was when President Bush boarded Air Force One on Easter Weekend in Crawford, Texas and flew back to Washington just to sign a law that would not only interfere with states rights, but also put the federal government's nose directly into a life or death decision of a suffering family.

That Easter Weekend I remember sending emails to President Bush, my two U.S. Senator's and Congressman Chet Edwards. The three replies I received from the President and my two Republican Senators were a slap in the face to my belief that the federal government should stay out of personal family decisions. However, Congressman Chet Edwards reply to my concerns was very well written and from that day forward I started to read more about Representative Edwards and eventually he won my vote in November of 2006. I have learned that military issues are very important to Congressman Edwards which makes the decision of Tom DeLay and Members of the Texas Senate to cut out Killeen and Fort Hood Texas from Chet Edwards district a real shame.

This past weekend, my wife and I spent some time in College Station, Texas and much to my surprise many people told us they also like Congressman Chet Edwards. The reason those comments were such a surprise to me is because the Bryan - College Station area is probably one of the biggest Republican strongholds in the country and those two cities were placed in the new redrawn district of Chet Edwards in an attempt to unseat him from office. Congress Chet Edwards has shown the way for other Democrats that want to win races in the right leaning State of Texas. Whether other candidates follow his lead will be interesting to watch. When Congressman Chet Edwards runs for reelection in 2008, I believe he will have even more supporters and friends than in his last successful campaign in 2006.

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