In fight for Congress, Eddie Rodriguez targets Greg Casar's record on Austin homelessness, police

In fight for Congress, Eddie Rodriguez targets Greg Casar’s record on Austin homelessness, police funding

by Abby Livingston, Texas Tribune


A Democratic nomination fight is brewing in one of Texas’ most liberal congressional districts. This prize fight captures parts of Austin and San Antonio and features two local political heavyweights: former Austin City Council member Greg Casar and state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez.

Casar is a local lightning rod, synonymous with some of the most progressive policies in Austin, including a push to reduce the city police budget and a measure — later overturned by voters — that allowed homeless people to camp in tents throughout the city. Casar is armed with an endorsement from Democratic superstar Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who visited San Antonio and Austin this weekend to rally for him.

Rodriguez, on the other hand, is a longtime Democratic fixture who has steadily climbed the ranks of local and state politics — a former Travis County Democratic Party executive director who has spent the last 19 years in the state House. He lacks some of Casar’s progressive flash but is also unburdened by policies passed by the City Council that may have soured moderate Democrats and attracted powerful Republican adversaries.

The question ahead is, what kind of Democrat do voters want to send to Washington from the Texas 35th Congressional district?

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2022/02/15/greg-casar-eddie-rodriguez-texas-35-congress/