More local politicos are confirming they are thinking about running for a new Congressional seat in Tarrant County that unites most of the county's minority communities.
Fort Worth City Councilwoman Kathleen Hicks and state Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, announced on Wednesday they are running for the new District 33 seat. A federal court in San Antonio still has to finalize the map before filing begins for the 2012 primaries. Republicans are expected to ask the Supreme Court to block the new map from being implemented.
The Rev. Kyev Tatum, a community activist who heads the Tarrant County chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, said Friday that he’s "strongly considering" jumping into the race.
"We need someone in that district who is concerned about the issues of the neighborhood," he said. "I’m talking it over with my wife and family, seeing if there’s any way possible we could do that.
Tatum is a former Vice President with the Texas NAACP. He is also a former Republican precinct chair but said if he chooses to run, he would do so as a Democrat.
"It’s a strong Democrat district," he said. "I've been both a Democrat and a Republican. I voted for President Obama in the last election...We have a community organizer in the White House. It would be good to have one in District 33."
Tatum described himself as moderate on many issues.
"I would run as an independent Democrat," Tatum said. "But I would encourage a lot of my Republican friends to vote for me as well."
Fort Worth attorney and former Tarrant County Democratic Party Chairman Art Brender said he would not rule out a bid of his own for District 33.
"My main concern is seeing to it that whoever does represent it, represents the kind of folks in the district," he said Friday. "They can get help they haven’t gotten under (Republican U.S. Reps.) (Kay) Granger, (Joe) Barton and (Michael) Burgess."
Fort Worth civil rights attorney Jason Smith, who had been considering a bid for the seat, said Friday that he’s out of the race. Between his 91-year-old father and his nearly two-year-old twins, he said he already has a full plate.
"Let’s have a full debate & elect REAL Dem to CD-33," Smith posted on Twitter.
-Anna Tinsley and Aman Batheja
Well I certainly don't feel Kay Granger represents my interests (and have told her so) and I would welcome a TRUE Democrat!
Posted by: riorico | November 25, 2011 at 04:36 PM
We need this position in south ft worth. Since tom delay help destroy our district so they could put a republican from the lewisville denton area over south ft worth area, we haven't had any representation from burgess. of course, the republican will fight to change the map so they can get another person who ideas line up with theirs and not ours.
Posted by: vern | November 25, 2011 at 05:12 PM
Rev. Tatum is a real opportunist. Watch out when a man is always there for a camera shot.
Posted by: watchdog | November 28, 2011 at 02:51 PM