While Buzbee Is Odious, Houston Council Dems Must Insist Huffman Back Democracy Before Offering Help

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Houstonians who care about democracy have a lousy choice in the District G Houston City Council runoff. 

Here is a link to a map of Houston Council districts.    

Incumbent Republican Councilwoman Mary Nan Huffman is being challenged by the malignant Tony Buzbee. 

Ms. Huffman has already made clear she is fine with election denial. And you see above she is endorsed by the anti-democratic extremists of the Texas Republican Party. The current Texas Republican Party platform rejects the legitimacy of President Biden's election. 
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Mr. Buzbee was the lawyer for abhorrent Attorney General Ken Paxton in his recent impeachment trial in the Texas Senate. He's just a really bad guy.

There is no option here for Houstonians who value living in a free society. Both candidates are dangerous extremists with deep connections to anti-democracy elements. There is no public safety without democracy and both Ms. Huffman and Mr. Buzbee are threats to public safety.

Understanding Mr. Buzbee is a terrible source of information, he recently tweeted that the women members of Houston City Council are holding a fundraiser for Ms. Huffman. While I'm certain the prospect of being seated near Mr. Buzbee for the next four years at Houston City Hall is distasteful, there is no solid reason to offer support to someone like Ms. Huffman who would attack our democracy.

Also, one of the Councilwomen part of this fundraiser is Republican Amy Peck. Ms. Peck makes herself out as moderate. But she has not stepped back at all from her fellow Republicans in Harris County, in Texas and in the nation who don't respect election results.

There is nothing wrong with bipartisanship in normal circumstances. But we are not in normal circumstances. Support for democracy is tenuous. As regretful as it to contemplate Mr. Buzbee on Council, it is not the job of people who value freedom to bail out those who do not. The asking price for support of Councilwoman Huffman should be that she makes clear her strong commitment to democracy.      

Business as usual has brought us to this point. We need to protect ourselves. We merit protection from the far right. There is plenty of reason to believe that elected officials and privileged folks will look for safe harbor in an authoritarian storm. We must demand our officials fight for us.       

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. 

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected].​  

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