Republican U.S. Reps. Sam Johnson and Ralph Hall are accustomed to winning. And in spite of their advanced years — Johnson is 77 and Hall is 84 — neither is throwing in the towel this year.
That didn't stop a crowd from signing up to run against them. Eight Republicans and four Democrats are saying, in effect, that after 18 years in the House for Johnson and 28 for Hall, time's up.
The two have gotten used to people wondering if they'll retire, but both reps say their work is never done. The races are worth watching because each candidate has more than one primary opponent, meaning more chances to split the vote. There's a chance lightning will strike. And there's a chance that, even in losing, this year's candidates are positioning themselves for the day when the two incumbents move on.
Still, it's hard to ignore their victorious history. In 2006, Johnson won close to 63 percent against Democrat Dan Dodd and Libertarian Christopher Claytor. Hall won almost 65 percent that year against Democrat Glenn Melançon and Libertarian Kurt Helm. Their winning numbers have been even higher in previous years.
Johnson's CD-3 includes Plano, McKinney and Richardson. He's been in the House since 1991 and did six years in the Texas House before that. He was a POW in Vietnam. He's got two opponents in the upcoming Republican primary: financial wizard and self-proclaimed "dweeb" Wayne Avellanet and retired pilot Harry Pierce, both from Plano. Attorney Tom Daley and retired teacher and broker Ronald Minkow are vying for the Democratic spot. Claytor, an engineer, returns as the sole Libertarian. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Johnson has almost $800,000 in campaign funds — far more than his opponents could hope to rake in.
At 84 years old, Hall has been in the House since 1981. He was a state senator for ten years — then a private citizen for eight years — before winning his spot in Congress. The World War II veteran represents CD-4, which includes parts of Mesquite and Rockwall. Four Republican hopefuls are also running in the primary: businessmen Gene Christensen and Kevin George, Joshua Kowart and former Frisco Mayor Kathy Seei. The Democrats are VaLinda Hathcox, who challenged Jerry Patterson for land commissioner in 2006, and repeat candidate Melançon. The CRP says Hall has about $350,000.
Hall doesn't need a lot of money to get the word out. The same theory should hold for Johnson. And the congressmen aren't worried about their gray hairs, either. (The average age of a rep is 55, according to the Congressional Research Service.)
"I've always felt like the tenure in Congress is important to getting stuff done up here," says Johnson. "I think there's a lot to do and I'll stay up here as long as I can beat people over the head and make things happen."
Hall, who says he runs at least a mile every morning and does about 50 sit-ups before bed, says he "still has something to give."
(His wife Mary Ellen is the driving force behind his choice to run again, he says. Hall says she thought having his name on the ballot would help their son, Brett Hall, win his third term as district judge in Rockwall. But Hall the Younger doesn't have an opponent.)
"This may be my last go round," says Hall. "But the president might need one old geezer. Still, I don't recommend a floor full of 84-year-old guys."
His opponents — and Johnson's — agree completely.
Minkow, one of the Democrats in Johnson's race, is 70 years old. "Johnson has lost touch with his electorate," he says.
"A lot of people just stick with the status quo," says Pierce, one of Johnson's Republican opponents. "It takes courage to vote for someone new."
Avellanet, who has a big family rooted in Plano, is more optimistic about his own chances but jokes that he'll probably be proven wrong. "If I don't get elected, that's fine. I'll be around for another 30 years and Sam Johnson won't."
But Karl Voigtsberger, vice-chairman of the Collin County Republicans and candidate for county tax assessor, says he hasn't seen Johnson's opponents around town and he doesn't think he ever will. "There are always people who decide one day they want to be a congressman and that's the last we hear from them."
Ready to challenge Hall again, Melançon says the Congressman has lost touch with his district. "I don't think its good for anybody to be in Washington that long, it has a way of corrupting people," he says.
Bill Broderick, chairman of the Rockwall Country Republican Party, says, "Rockwall County is Hall country." He's not sure if Hall can carry 50 percent of the vote with four opponents in the primary, but he says none of the other Republicans stand out. As far as Hall's age, Broderick says, "You'd never know how old the guy is. When I get around Sam Johnson, I feel his age, but I don't get that feeling with Hall."
Hall opponent Christensen is 53 years old. He says if he won, he'd put a term limit on himself at 10 years. "You've gotta know when to get on the train and when to get off."
Democrat Hathcox says the economy is the biggest issue in her district, mentioning that the Popeye's and KFC nearby closed recently. But Hathcox says that's just increased business for the Chicken Express.
In this "chicken war," as she puts it, there are winners and losers. It's kind of like the races — someone is always hoping someone else will close their doors.
— by Karie Meltzer
