Schieffer picks up endorsements from Valley legislators

WESLACO — Nine state legislators from the Rio Grande Valley endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Schieffer on Tuesday, painting him as the best option for South Texas and someone who puts people ahead of politics.

The endorsements — from every Valley legislator except state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, and outgoing state Rep. Kino Flores, D-Palmview — solidified Schieffer’s foothold in South Texas and in the Hispanic community.

At a news conference in Weslaco to announce the support, state Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, the chairman of the Senate’s Hispanic Caucus, said Schieffer would focus as governor on "bread-and-butter issues" like health care, education and economic development instead of divisive social issues.

State Rep. Armando "Mando" Martinez, D-Weslaco, said the former ambassador to Japan and Australia is an experienced leader who understands the needs of Texas and the Valley.

"He’s willing to put politics aside," Martinez said. "We need to support someone who puts people first."

Schieffer, who was also endorsed by five Democratic House leaders in August, attacked Republican Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday for what he called a "race to the bottom instead of a race to the top."

The state’s position, at the bottom of the U.S. Census Bureau’s national rankings in key health care and education categories, is a result of Perry’s leadership, Schieffer said. Unlike Perry, he won’t let politics affect decisions such as whether to accept $1 billion in federal funding to expand the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program.

"It’s political rhetoric over policy," Schieffer said. "That’s what we’ve got to change."

Schieffer, who entered the gubernatorial race early this year, has been questioned about his Democratic credentials, particularly in light of his support for former President George W. Bush, a friend and former business partner with the Texas Rangers baseball club.

However, Hinojosa said Schieffer is a proven Democrat who appeals to the majority of Texans, those who are neither too far to the left nor too far to the right.

"We’re somewhere in the middle," the senator said. "(Schieffer) is in the same place."

Schieffer’s opponents in the Democratic primary include humorist and entertainer Kinky Friedman, teacher Felix Alvarado, therapist Mark Thompson and East Texas rancher Hank Gilbert.

After the announcement of the endorsements, Gilbert’s office released a statement charging that the fanfare was an attempt to jumpstart a campaign that had stalled across the state because of Schieffer’s connection to the Bush legacy.

On the GOP side of the race, Perry has been duking it out with U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Schieffer met with South Texas politicians on Monday, in preparation for his Tuesday press conference. At a meeting with state Rep. Rene Oliveira, D-Brownsville, he said that his view of the future of South Texas differs from that of his political adversaries.

"You have to think about the Valley as leading Texas into the future, instead of taking it for granted," Schieffer said. "I want to put emphasis back on what is important to South Texas. The public education system should fit each kid, not the other way around."

Schieffer said Texas is losing the battle against the dropout rate, and that it’s important to look at new educational models that will create job opportunities for all students and propel them toward financial stability.

"We need to develop our community colleges," Schieffer said. "Not every student is going to go to a four-year school."

He added that there are many specialized technical degrees offered by community colleges and technical schools, like aircraft mechanics, that can lead to lucrative careers.

Schieffer said he has learned that education is key for a population to be competitive in a global economy. He said that bilingual and dual language education could help make American workers more competitive. Schieffer also called the emphasis on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test, or TAKS, a "huge mistake."

"We are emphasizing a test in favor or education. This much emphasis on a test is closing doors, not opening them," Schieffer said.

Asked how he plans to pay for the changes he hopes to make in South Texas, and in the state in general, Schieffer said he would spend state revenues more wisely and wouldn’t refuse federal aid, as Perry did in March when he refused stimulus funding for the unemployed.

Perry will be at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College today to swear in Carlos Rubenstein as commissioner of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.