Residents of western Williamson County have noticed recently that Republican Tony Dale does actually have an opponent in the race for Texas House District 136. Democrat Matt Stillwell has managed to throw out some rather interesting campaign signs. The signs, which seem designed to look hand-made, include various enigmatic questions, “Matt wants quality schools, do you?” and “Matt wants a water plan, do you?” (Self, doesn’t Texas already have a water plan?)
Mr. Stillwell has been telling anyone who would listen (and the Austin American Statesman always listens to Democrats,) that he is a “social liberal” and a “fiscal conservative,” but nothing about his campaign suggests fiscal conservatism. In fact, his real stances scream “fiscal liberal.”
For example, in some of the literature Mr. Stillwell has handed out, he calls for higher gas prices via tax increases. He makes the argument that the State’s gas taxes are not high enough to maintain and construct roads, but makes no mention of the fact that over the past 25 years, some $10.8 billion in state transportation funds have been diverted to other uses. Also, according to Texans for Safe Reliable Transportation, “Congress has transferred $7 billion in Texas-paid gasoline tax to other states.” So maybe we don’t have a “revenue problem” after all?
Perhaps Mr. Stillwell ought to consider his party’s war on domestic energy producers, and have a little compassion for families and businesses struggling to keep up with gas prices that have increased 103.79% since Obama took office.
Advocating higher taxes doesn’t sound too fiscally conservative.
While in his literature Stillwell pays some vague lip service to the fiscally conservative policies that have made Texas successful, his endorsements tell another story. A thinking person might conclude that endorsements from the Texas AFL-CIO and other unions imply that Mr. Stillwell would like to dismantle Texas’ “Right to Work” laws, and other fiscally conservative measures that have made the state successful. As Stillwell stated in a recent interview, his support comes from labor unions and environmentalists. ‘Nuff said.
One thing on which Stillwell has been quite truthful: he is indeed a social liberal. Not a moderate, mind you, but a liberal. He is not only adamantly pro-abortion, but also advocates gay marriage. Before his handlers recently scrubbed his campaign website, Stillwell accused supporters of traditional marriage of “the same type of thinking that has been proven wrong again and again over the last century,” and ridiculed attempts to protect marriage. He is an opponent of the Defense of Marriage Act, something Texans have overwhelmingly supported at the polls.
Interestingly enough, the Austin American Statesman has been eagerly reporting Stillwell’s assertion that House District 136 is somehow a swing district and winnable by a liberal Democrat. Their evidence? That Governor Rick Perry and Senator John Cornyn won by only 15% points in the 2010 elections.
Dude. On what planet is a 15-point advantage a close race?
Of course the rumor on the streets is that Stillwell and his Democrat handlers know he can’t win, but they’re propping him up anyway so that he can do a little better the next time he runs for the Round Rock School Board. The RRISD has been trying to boost him by appointing him to some boards, so maybe there is a method to this madness. I wonder if the parents of Round Rock are ready for such an overt social liberal?
In the meantime, I think voters in HD 136 are smarter than Stillwell gives them credit for.
UPDATE: This week Mr. Stillwell's campaign sent out a mailer claiming that he was a "native Texan." Sounds good; the only problem is that he hails from out of state- New Mexico if I have my facts straight. Either Stillwell's campaign is being run by someone who doesn't know him, or...
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