First, the tax issue. As a newly elected Mayor, when no one was mentioning him as a Republican Senate candidate, voted to raise taxes 1%. Then, when Leppert was making the rounds, future Republican Senate candidate flip flopped and voted against a tax increase.
Of course, as Mayor, Tom Leppert was a strong advocate of the City owning a Convention Center hotel. In fact, he choose to campaign for the issue in front the Dallas County Young Democrats. When he wasn't on the radar as a Republican Candidate, one could assume it was OK to be seen with a leftist organization like the Young Democrats.
Then the SEIU issue. As the man seeking the office, again when no one was mentioning him as a future candidate, sought hard to get the endorsement of one of the most radical labor unions in the country. Candidate Leppert tried, unsuccessfully, to distance himself from his past only to have it proven by the SEIU with photographic proof.
And now we have this: Right after the election, Tom Leppert said he was committed to opening up an office of immigration affairs in Dallas saying he was disappointed that the massive left-leaning immigration bill did not pass the Senate. (ht to @BJPolitics @dpjennings of Big Jolly Politics for bringing this to the forefront)
From the 2007 Dallas Morning News Article:
Claudia Herrmann, an immigrant who heads one of the largest Mexican hometown or homestate associations in the Dallas area, is also bending Mr. Leppert's ear. Four days after Mr. Leppert's victory, Ms. Herrmann wrote him a three-page proposal on how she believes an office of immigrant affairs should work.
"We applaud that you have recognized the need to create a Dallas Office for New Americans," it read, "to help immigrants from different countries as well as international refugees to adjust to their new life in Dallas."
So now, he is endorsing a left-leaning idea to help illegal aliens stay in Texas? Wait, now they are no longer criminal illegal aliens, they are "international refugees," which I guess makes it ok.
All of this has been chronicled here in various pots. We're not endorsing any candidate for Senate, but will point out issues the all face. Right now, it's just very hard to imagine that a candidate who has raised taxes, increased debt, cozied up to the labor unions, advocated for the LGBT community, and wanted to have safe houses for illegal aliens is your prototypical Texas Republican Senate candidate. Of course, the primary voters will be the one to judge that.
