In Texas, there is one thing you're guaranteed to find: ridiculous political stories. From the fiasco with Ted Nugent and Greg Abbot, to the Senate candidate disappearing, to some of the things that come out of the mouths of our representatives. You're guaranteed to get sound bites, video clips and entertainment (even if that entertainment scares the hell out of you). Deep down in Texas, along the coast, there is an especially odd case. He won in the 2010 Tea Party wave and has been representing Washington in Texas ever since.
The difference this year, though, is that Blake Farenthold has a challenger who will get at least a look by even the most hardcore Republican.
This is Blake Farenthold:
This is also Blake Farenthold:
Finally, this is Blake Farenthold.
In the first video, Congressman Farenthold can't bring himself to say that President Obama was "legitimately elected" President of the United States.
In the second, he says that 16-year old children, who were brought to this country illegally by their parents, "had a say" in whether they crossed the border or not. When questioned by the anchor, he digs in and sticks with his statements.
In the final video (link only), Farenthold does something you probably never thought you'd see an elected official do. He told the veterans of Corpus Christi that sacrifice is sometimes necessary when talking about the government shutdown.
The three clips together show a politician who is disconnected from a reality in a way that few politicians outside of Texas usually are. However, the most unforgivable clip, by far, is when he tells veterans that they have to sacrifice again. This time, though, they aren't sacrificing for the good of their country. They aren't risking their lives so their families back home can be free from the litany of horrible things that exist in this world. According to Farenthold, their sacrifice is necessary to achieve his political goals.
This is the type of thing those of us in the (now gerrymandered) 27th Congressional district have come to expect from our representative in Washington. He does what he's told by those above him in Congress and when he gives interviews, you know it's time to, as Terrell Owens would say, "Getcha popcorn ready."
Then again, maybe it's Mr. Farenthold who should be worried about catching up on sports pop culture and getting his popcorn ready. His opponent this year is formidable to say the least (if he can raise the money he'll need to compete with an incumbent Republican and all the Super PAC money that goes along with it).
Wesley C. Reed is a Marine Corps veteran, one of those veterans Congressman Farenthold said needed to sacrifice again so he could achieve his political goals. He is still in the reserves and flew F/A-18 fighter planes while in the Marine Corps. Reed understands that veterans have already sacrificed enough and won't tell his fellow veterans around the country that they must sacrifice again so he can achieve political goals and win some points with his base.
Mr. Reed joined the Navy at 19, went to college, and became an officer in the Marine Corps after graduating from college. During his time in the Marine Corps, he completed four deployments, including Operation Noble Eagle in 2004. Throughout his 25 year career, he climbed the ranks up to Lieutenant Colonel.
Reed still flies, though his aircraft of choice is a bit larger now. Currently, he is a pilot for FedEx and is still flying for FedEx while making his run for Congress. As a member of a union himself, Wesley is a strong supporter of union involvement.
From his website:
He is a member of the Air Line Pilots Association, Intl. Wesley was a voting member of the board when FedEx pilots voted to join the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), a national union for pilots. Wesley quickly climbed the ranks of the ALPA, much as he did the ranks of the Marine Corps. He has served in a variety of capacities, including as the chairman of the Strategic Preparedness Committee, Master Executive Council Secretary and Treasurer and as the Chairman of the ALPA International Veterans Affairs Committee. He currently serves as the AFL-CIO Union Veterans Council Representative for the Air Line Pilots Association, International.
As I said, veteran leadership is sorely lacking in Congress and it's time to remedy that. Blake Farenthold has represented Washington in Texas long enough. Wesley Reed will represent Texas in Washington and show the people of Texas' 27th district what it's like to have
real representative in Washington.