The battle for a Texas House district in west Arlington is quickly becoming one of the most-watched legislative races in the state as some political strategists wonder whether the Republican stronghold could be up for grabs in November.
Republican Tony Tinderholt, Democrat Cole Ballweg and Libertarian Robert Harris are squaring off in the race for House District 94, and at least one internal poll shows that it could be a dead heat.The district has been in Republican hands for decades — represented by Diane Patrick most recently and Kent Grusendorf before that.“It’s a key race to watch,” said Harvey Kronberg, editor and publisher of the Quorum Report, an Austin-based online political newsletter. Democrats say an internal poll by Ballweg’s campaign gives them reason for hope Nov. 4.The poll showed that 48 percent support Tinderholt, a 21-year military veteran, and 46 percent favor Ballweg, a local businessman, when voters were told positive information about both candidates. The rest were undecided, according to the poll.Tinderholt bested Patrick, who has represented the district for four terms, in the Republican primary, claiming 55 percent of the vote and leaving the seat without an incumbent heading into the general election.Since then, some of Tinderholt’s public comments on border security, immigration and other issues have “given pause to some local Republican leaders,” according to Kronberg’s report.“Tony Tinderholt … has created so much anxiety among the Republican business types that we definitely will see some crossover votes,” Kronberg said. “He has not impressed the Republican establishment or people in Austin.”Tinderholt’s campaign consultant dismissed the Ballweg poll.“If I ran a poll, it would show that even Democrats in District 94 appreciate Mr. Tinderholt’s veteran service and have serious issues with Cole Ballweg’s liberal views on late-term abortions and his unwillingness to separate himself from Barack Obama,” consultant Luke Macias told the Quorum Report.Some political analysts agree that Tinderholt remains the front-runner.“It would be a shocker if the Republican managed to lose this seat,” said Tom Marshall, a political science professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. “It is not impossible … but it’s a daunting task for a Democrat to win in this district.”District 94 is in central west Arlington and includes Pantego and Dalworthington Gardens. It stretches from Interstate 30 south to the Mansfield line and from Loop 820 east to Collins Street.The RepublicanTinderholt, 44, said he’s running because he wants to continue serving others now that he’s out of the military. Critics, though, also want to focus on his personal life.Documents show that Tinderholt, a political newcomer who now serves as director of training and recruiting for Eliot Management Group, has been married several times. “We should be talking about the issues, not this,” said Tinderholt, adding that he won’t go into his personal life. “I am who I am today because of the things that happened to me in the past.” When asked about various court proceedings he has been involved with, such as a bankruptcy filing in the 1990s, he said his “personal background … has absolutely nothing to do with this race.”“I held a top-secret or secret [military] clearance from 1988 to the present,” he said. “If I had done anything that was personally irresponsible, either financially or personally, it would be impossible to maintain a security clearance at that level.”Regarding an article that says he medically retired from the military at 100 percent disability in 2013, Tinderholt’s response was: “Let’s just say that my medical and my military background is personal to me … and I was medically retired.”Tinderholt, who has visited the border for a firsthand look at security issues, has drawn attention and been called an extremist for some of his comments. “I think we should go across the border and stop it,” Tinderholt said this year about border concerns. “I think we should shut money off across the border.”His top priorities are securing the border, passing anti-abortion legislation, helping to create a transparent budget, protecting Second Amendment rights, ensuring that teacher pensions are safe, preventing additional federal mandates on medical care and ensuring free enterprise.“However, the Democrat doesn’t want to talk about these issues because he cannot win the election by talking about them in this conservative district,” Tinderholt said. “He would rather do personal attacks than talk about the issues that affect the people who live in District 94.“Diverting attention away from the issues will not change the issues,” he said. “They still exist and must be dealt with, and I pledge to do work [on] each of those topics that I found were important to the voters when we knocked [on] over 8,000 doors in the district.”Tinderholt — according to the most recent campaign finance report, which detailed donations from Feb. 23 to June 30 — received $7,760 and had $2,008.26 on hand. He also had $33,000 in outstanding loans, according to the Texas Ethics Commission.He said he has been endorsed by Tarrant County Commissioner Andy Nguyen, former state Rep. Barbara Nash, R-Arlington, the Arlington Republican Club, the Republican Women of Arlington and Cathie Adams, former chairwoman of the Republican Party of Texas.“When November comes, Republicans need to reunite,” Tinderholt said. “The alternative is someone who is not pro-life. The alternative is a Democrat.“November is Republican versus Democrat.”The DemocratBallweg, 36, co-founded Vivicare Health Partners, a company that provides a home-nursing alternative to hospitalization for medically fragile and terminally ill children.“I am running because I am fed up with the know-nothing extremists taking over Texas government,” the political newcomer said. “Diane Patrick fought to restore funding for our public schools and was attacked as a ‘RINO’ [Republican in Name Only].“There is no Republican running in this race. There is a pro-business Democrat and a Tea Party extremist,” he said. “I am running for office so that I can do my part to find solutions to the opportunities and challenges facing Arlington and Texas.”His top priorities are schools, infrastructure, sustainable water sources, equal pay for equal work, and a business environment that creates good jobs.Ballweg criticizes Tinderholt for “promoting fringe policies” on social media and attending events for “extremist organizations such as Open Carry Tarrant County.” He also said his opponent has misled voters, failed to pay debts and “parrots the talking points of the extremist movement.”He said he hopes the candidates can start focusing on the issues.“I think it’s really, really unfortunate that we aren’t having a more robust policy discussion with public forums so voters can get a chance to see the candidates,” he said. “The tenor of my campaign is to inform. This is who I am, and this is who Tony Tinderholt is.“I am ready to talk about issues at his convenience.”Ballweg’s July 15 campaign finance report, which includes donations from Jan. 1 to June 30, shows that he raised more than $27,000, had $22,345 on hand and had $22,500 in outstanding loans.He said he has been endorsed by the Arlington Professional Firefighters, the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters, the Texas State Teachers Association, Arlington businessman Dan Dipert and Arlington Councilman Charlie Parker.“I think the main thing for us is to continue to appeal broadly to Democrats, independents and Republicans who are tired of dealing with extremists,” Ballweg said. “We get things done when we come together.“Compromise is the way you make things go.”The LibertarianHarris, 52, is an oil and gas consultant, a military veteran, a grandfather and a native Texan. He describes himself as a former Republican and a Ronald Reagan conservative with libertarian leanings.He said he couldn’t agree with Tea Party members on abortion and the drug war, so he turned to the Libertarian Party when he decided to run.“Even though I have never held a public office, I study the great philosophers and history,” he said. “I teach constitutional classes on occasion for free to the public. Most people are products of the education system, and it has been my experience education is only as good as those who control it.“I can give you basic examples with questions like, What are the four true forms of government? Less than 0.1 percent can answer that question,” he said. “I called 15 House and Senate offices in Texas and asked that exact question and yet no one could answer it correctly. These are our politicians, and they have no idea what government even is.”Harris said his top issues include education and immigration reform, as well as legalization of marijuana.Harris’ July 15 campaign finance report, which documents donations through the first half of the year, showed no donations and no cash on hand.“I have spent every dime out of my pocket and will continue to do so,” he said. “I don’t want to be indebted to owe anyone, so I cannot be influenced by greed in any manner, shape or form.“All I offer people is the truth,” Harris said. “They can accept it or they can reject it.”What about Patrick?Early voting for the Nov. 4 general election is Oct. 20-31. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 6. The district has been represented for eight years by Patrick, a former schoolteacher and professor at the University of Texas at Arlington who edged Grusendorf, who had held the post for nearly 20 years.“I’m not involved in the race,” Patrick said. “I’m not endorsing anyone in House District 94.” News researcher Cathy Belcher contributed to this report.Anna M. Tinsley, 817-390-7610 Twitter: @annatinsley
