Top Texas Democratic candidates address disabled voters; Republicans are no-shows

[TexasTowelie]

Democrats Wendy Davis and Leticia Van de Putte vowed Wednesday to defend the rights of disabled Texans if elected to the state’s top offices by increasing funding for disabled care, accepting Medicaid expansion and raising wages for caregivers who serve them.

Davis, running for governor, and Van de Putte, running for lieutenant governor, criticized their Republican opponents for not attending the Texas Disabilities Issues Forum hosted {by the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, ADAPT of Texas, the Disability Voting Action Project (DVAP), the Arc of Texas, and Texas Parent to Parent} in downtown Austin, where a crowd of about 300 came to hear the candidates speak. Sam Houston, the Democratic candidate for attorney general, also spoke.

Read more: http://www.statesman.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/top-texas-democratic-candidates-address-disabled-v/nhTfG/ (subscription required)

Houston, disability advocates slam Paxton for forum no-show

AUSTIN – Republican front runner for attorney general state Sen. Ken Paxton was a no-show at the Texas Disability Issues Forum in Austin on Wednesday, an absence that is increasingly symptomatic of his candidacy.

“We extended several invitations to him that he absolutely did not respond to at all. We did not appreciate that,” said Dennis Borel, executive director of the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities. “These are just factual statements, not judgmental.”

The McKinney Republican wasn’t the only GOP candidate absent at the nonpartisan issues forum this week. Gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott and Sen. Dan Patrick, the Houston Republican running for lieutenant governor, also were not to be found.

“Two of these candidates even declined to fill out the survey,” added Borel, referring to Patrick and Paxton. It’s all part of what the Texas Observer just this week dubbed the “non-campaign,” and it’s increasingly common in Texas politics.

Read more: http://blog.chron.com/texaspolitics/2014/09/houston-disability-advocates-slam-paxton-for-forum-no-show/

[tanyev]

1. I'm guessing none of those invitations had big fat checks wrapped around them.

That certainly would have gotten some personal attention from Patrick and Paxton.

[malokvale77]

2. This is of particular interest to me

I'm a caregiver to 2 people in my household (without compensation).

I'm a caregiver professionally (just this week I received a raise to $7.85 an hour). Woo Hoo!

I find Greg Abbott's absence particularly abhorrent. He is such a creep.

I miss "yellow dog" Texas.