Dem Cage Match in District 35: Doggett vs. Castro [Politics]

Please welcome new politics writer Taylor Calvin. - ed.

This summer, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) was dealt a strong dose of Perrymandering when the 82nd Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 4. The GOP-engineered redistricting in SB 4 split Travis County into five different congressional districts, all of which were deemed nearly impossible for any Democrat to be re-elected in.

Joaquin Castro has served in the Texas House since 2005, where he represents District 125. As a native son of the district, he's someone with whom the constituents of the 35th are expected to feel a deep connection. And the Castro name is one to reckon with. Joaquin's brother, Julian Castro, was just re-elected for a second term as the Mayor of San Antonio and his mother, Rosie Castro, is a prominent grassroots activist.

The Castro campaign has consistently stated that an out with the old, in with the new perspective is what the district needs. In accordance, the campaign has developed a comprehensive plan to grow jobs and stimulate education that Castro believes will satisfy the majority of constituents in the area. 

Castro says this plan, titled the Infrastructure of Opportunity, will bridge the region’s major industries, including bioscience, transportation and agriculture, in ways that will help the 35th district live up to its full potential. Castro has also recently hinted that he would be a more effective Congressman than Doggett by calling out House Republicans when needed, but working more strategically with allies to avoid becoming “irrelevant.”

For his part, Doggett's strategy appears to be running against Rick Perry instead of his challenger. He's become an especially harsh critic since the governor's recently announced presidential bid. In regards to his specific race, the Doggett campaign has remained confident in the Congressman and simply says that his progressive record on education, the budget, and healthcare -- as well as his seniority -- proves itself.

It's possible that, as the saying goes, old age and wiliness may still beat youth and skill. After all, Doggett's no stranger to the districting mousetrap game—he managed to win in a majority Hispanic district in 2004 after Tom Delay’s 2003 redistricting plan. And as the Congressional primary in March slowly approaches, both candidates are still trying to challenge the new redistricting plan in federal court for possible violations of the Voting Rights Act. But if the boundaries stay the same, 2012 is shaping up to be a trying year for Doggett’s future on the Hill.