"Is this for real? I'm actually being challenged by a Democrat? Wake me up when you have real news."
Although Louie Gohmert may be used as a tool for the Democratic Party fundraising machine because of his zaniness and extreme right-wing antics, a Democratic challenger has emerged and early on in the 2014 election cycle.
Shirley McKellar is the Democratic candidate who has chosen to challenge Gohmert for re-election in 2014 in Texas's 1st Congressional District. According to her announcement, she's not pleased with Gohmert's record:
http://www.news-journal.com/...
MARSHALL — A military veteran announced her bid Saturday to seek the Democratic nomination to face U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert in November 2014.
Dr. Shirley McKellar told a crowd at the Harrison County Courthouse that she will seek to replace Gohmert in representing the 1st Congressional District.
McKellar describes herself as a “conservative Democrat.”
“It pains me so much that Louie Gohmert continually shows such a lack of respect for East Texans,” she said. “I believe that to be a good leader you need to show respect, cooperation and humility, yet this congressman shows none of these qualities.”
Of course, if we take McKellar at her word, a conservative Democrat like herself challenging Gohmert for re-election isn't too bad considering Gohmert's district is pretty deep red all things considered.
On the other hand, this isn't the first challenge McKellar has made to Gohmert. Last year she ran for Congress and was barely a blip on the radar, receiving nearly 27% of the votes compared to Gohmert's 71% of the votes:
http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/...
Still, McKellar is determined to take down Gohmert once again and unless I don't know her 2012 campaign timing well, has announced her run for Congress in 2014 much sooner this time around. Whether or not her campaign gets traction this time around in her second run is to be determined.
McKellar also has some pretty critical things to say about Gohmert:
http://www.news-journal.com/...
“It pains me so much that Louie Gohmert continually shows such a lack of respect for East Texans,” she said. “I believe that to be a good leader you need to show respect, cooperation and humility, yet this congressman shows none of these qualities.”
She added that while Gohmert has served, she believes he hasn’t done anything productive for East Texas.
“He’s been in Washington (D.C.) for five terms, he’s not offered any bills that have brought anything real to East Texas such as jobs,” she said. “So I’m going to be fighting for the greater good of all mankind and not just the wealthy. America’s the United States of America, not the Republican States of America or the Democrat States of America.”
Here's additional insight coming from McKellar on what she learned from her first run for Congress in 2012:
http://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/...
The prospective candidate said she’s been involved in politics since age 18, but learned a lot about the needs of East Texas residents while campaigning in 2012.
“Traveling the district, I met World War II veterans and folk dancers, gamers and hunters,” she said. “I met East Texans of every walk of life from Black Cypress Bayou to the Angelina River, and East Texans are concerned about the future.
“They are concerned about gun rights and gun violence, early childhood education and continuing education for adults, student loans and investment in small business, the Keystone XL pipeline and the implementation of the Affordable Health Care for America Act,” she said.
Some general information I've cited about McKellar from her Congressional campaign website:
http://www.votemckellar.com/...
• Dr. Shirley J. McKellar, Retired American Soldier, United States Army, is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of McKellar-McKellar-Ntaka and Associates, Inc., a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization.
• A professional who has been inspired by many passions, Dr. McKellar has pioneered more than one grassroots initiative. She established a non-profit organization to aid abused women and children, provided mediation services and managed the African American Breast Cancer Outreach Program (ABCO). She initiated a children's evening care program that was open until midnight. As she states, "We live in a 24/7 society and our children must be cared for at all times." She is a national and international motivational speaker on breast cancer and other women's issues; having stood and addressed the 4th European Congress on, "Healthcare Disparities" in Berlin.
• In December 2002, she was called to active duty, serving 18 months overseas in support of "Operation Iraqi Freedom" and "Enduring Freedom". During that time in service to her country, she received two war ribbons & two medals, the Meritorious Service Medal (highest non-battle award) and Army Accommodation Medal. Among other accomplishments during her entire 11 active years in the military; received five other medals and served as Officer-In-Charge in many areas; a favorite was Combat Life Saving School and established the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center in the European Theater and served as Chief Nurse.
Indeed, it appears McKellar is a strong advocate for healthcare based on her experience in the field.
It should also be worth noting that Shirley McKellar served in the Iraq War (more specifically in Operation Iraqi Freedom) and has not particularly been pleased with how veterans have been treated:
http://www.news-journal.com/...
“I served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and I was actually injured during my service there and ended up spending over a year in the hospital in San Antonio. ... I saw a lot of things happen to veterans that I did not like, so that actually pushed me to run for the seat,” she said.
Indeed, Congressman Gohmert has not been a good Congressman for veterans, even though he himself has served in the U.S. Army. Take a look at his record:
http://www.ontheissues.org/...
http://votesmart.org/...
Voted NO on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan. (Mar 2011)
Voted YES on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date. (Jun 2006)
Voted NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days. (May 2007)
Voted YES Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005
Voted YES on the Defense Department FY2006 Authorization Bill
Voted YES on the Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill
Voted YES on H Res 861: Global War on Terror (which supported the Iraq War)
Voted YES on the Defense Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill
Voted NO on the Iraq War Policy Resolution (disapproving of President Bush's decision to deploy 20,000 more troops in Iraq)
Voted NO on the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill of 2007 with Iraq Withdrawal Timeline
Voted NO on the Redeployment from Iraq Act
Voted NO on Mandatory Troop Rest Periods Between Deployments to Iraq
Yeah, you can definitely tell Congressman Gohmert cares for veterans when he votes NO on Mandatory Troop Rest Periods Between Deployments to Iraq. Don't know what he was thinking here.
Then again, you can't argue with someone who makes comments like this on minorities and voting rights:
Also, something worth noting. Congressman Gohmert was elected as a result of then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's redistricting push, defeating then-incumbent Congressman Max Sandlin who had previously served the 1st Congressional District of Texas from 1997-2005. If Gohmert is ever defeated (which you may argue seems improbable at this point), then it will be payback for DeLay and the GOP's power grab in Texas.
Yes, unseating Louie Gohmert is an uphill climb for Democrats but why not build the Democratic Party at all levels in Texas? Perhaps Shirley McKellar might ride on the momentum that State Senator Wendy Davis has created throughout the state for Democrats. James Cargas and Michael Cole are two other Democrats running to challenge Rep. John Culbertson and Rep. Steve Stockman repectively so they could be impacted as well from the activism within Texas among Democrats in the state.
We'll see what happens in the coming weeks and months.
In the meantime, if you want to support Shirley McKellar, here are the following links:
Shirley McKellar for Congress:
http://www.votemckellar.com/...
Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/...