Rick Noriega for Texas: News

Sen. Cornyn Faces Unique Democratic Opponent

Sun, 11 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

For decades Texas has been a very red state. But, incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn could be vulnerable this fall if a recent poll is accurate. Cornyn is facing a largely unknown but unique Democratic opponent.

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Bound by war, families gather

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

By Jason Buch

Laredo Morning Times

The families of soldiers deployed overseas have a special bond, Diana Rodriguez said. Rodriguez, whose husband, 1st Sgt. Ezequiel Rodriguez, is serving with the 436th Chemical Co. in Afghanistan, helped organize a Mother's Day celebration for the families of the company's soldiers who are overseas.

"Even though it's an emotional time for a lot of families, we all have a common thread," she said. "We know what each other are feeling."

The families gathered Friday night at the Laredo Texas National Guard Armory, 5119 Bob Bullock Loop, for the celebration.

The crowd heard from speakers, watched a slide show of their loved ones and ate dinner.

One of the speakers was Rep. Rick Noriega, D-Houston, Texas' Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.

Noriega served a tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2004 and 2005 and was the commander of the guard's Operation Jumpstart in Laredo during the summer of 2007.

Noriega read a letter from his wife, Melissa, and told the crowd he and his family know how it feels being separated from family members. [To read the text of the letter, view the 5/12/08 Noriega blog entry here.]

"We went through the same experience you're going through right now," he said.

Noriega said he recognized some of the soldiers in the slide show from his time in Laredo.

"I feel like I have a duty to be here and tell them we're here for them," he said.

The event was organized by the local chapter of the Texas Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Committee.

The committee's primary function is to protect the jobs of guardsmen and reservists who are deployed, said ESGR Area 13 Chairman Adolfo "Popo" Gonzalez.

One of the goals of Friday's event was to help the mothers and wives of soldiers in Afghanistan take their mind off their worries during the Mother's Day weekend, Gonzalez said.

"We're just having families come together so we can tell them they're part of the 436th family," he said.

Gonzalez served with the company for more than 30 years. His son, Adolfo Gonzalez Jr., is a supply sergeant for the unit in Afghanistan.

The company has been in Afghanistan for about four months, Gonzalez said. He said some of the soldiers are expected to be home on leave this summer.

The company is scheduled to return in December or January, Gonzalez said.

(Jason Buch may be reached at 728-2547 or by e-mail at jbuch@lmtonline.com)

Link to full article

Lake Research Partners Memo on Latest Rasmussen Poll

Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

To: Interested Parties
From: Celinda Lake, Bob Meadow, and Joshua Ulibarri
Date: May 5, 2005
Subject: Recent News In Texas' Race for the United State Senate

Recent Rasmussen Reports polling¹ confirms the changing dynamics in the Texas Senate race, placing Senator John Cornyn squarely among the most vulnerable Republican incumbents. Rasmussen's recent statewide survey among 500 likely voters shows Cornyn below 50% and leading by just single digits. Cornyn receives the support of 47% of likely voters while Democratic challenger Rick Noriega has the support of 43%.

This data confirms that the trends in Texas point toward an upset win this year. We witnessed these trends as early as last November^2, when only 31% of voters were in favor of reelecting Cornyn compared to 69% who would vote to replace him or consider someone else. Only 36% thought he was doing an excellent or good job, compared to 41% who said he was doing a just fair or poor job.

More than one million voters supported Noriega during the primary (1,108,318). In fact, in the four-way Democratic primary, Noriega received over one-hundred thousand more votes than Senator Cornyn received in his two-way Republican primary (1,108,318 for Noriega compared to 994,222 votes for Cornyn). In further proof of the increased energy around Democratic candidates, in March almost three million voters participated in the Democratic Primary (2,868,454), more than three times the number that voted in the 2004 presidential primary (839,231).

The news gets better, and the trends become clearer. Just last month, we conducted focus groups across the state among undecided voters. At the end of each group, these undecided voters moved overwhelmingly toward Noriega. Out of 60 participants we picked up 54 votes. In that environment, where Noriega could be competitive with Cornyn on television, voters were persuaded to move to the Democrat and help flip this seat.

Cornyn's profile is weak and relatively undefined as it stands now. He is vulnerable to an assertive and sustained message campaign. But, Rick Noriega -- an appealing Democrat with a unique profile that works in Texas -- needs the ammunition to take the fight to Cornyn now.

¹ This telephone survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports May 1, 2008. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
² Lake Research Partners designed and administered this survey, which was conducted by phone using professional interviewers. The survey was conducted among 500 registered voters in Texas who are likely to vote in the 2008 General Election. The survey was conducted November 13-18, 2007. The margin of error for the full sample is +/-4.4 percentage points.

Click here to download the memo as a PDF.

FOX TV | RasmussenReports: Texas Senate: Cornyn 47% Noriega 43%

Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

MyFox Austin

It's time to add United States Senator John Cornyn to the list of potentially vulnerable Republican incumbents in Election 2008. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state find Cornyn leading Democratic state legislator Rick Noriega by just four percentage points, 47% to 43%.

Any incumbent who polls below 50% is considered potentially vulnerable. That is especially true when a little known challenger is so competitive in an early general election match-up. The race for President in Texas is also fairly competitive early in Election 2008.

Noreiga leads among voters earning less than $40,000 a year. Cornyn leads among those with higher incomes. Cornyn leads among Evangelical Christian voters and other Protestants. Noreiga leads among those with a different faith background. Both candidates do well within their own party and are fairly evenly matched among unaffiliated voters.

Democrats are likely to expand their majority in the Senate this year by picking up several Senate seats currently held by the GOP. Early polling indicates that many states offer potential Democratic gains including: Virginia, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and Alaska.

Cornyn is viewed favorably by 50% of the state's likely voters, unfavorably by 37%.

Noreiga earns positive reviews from 45% and negative assessments from 39%.

Thirty-four percent (34%) of voters say the state's Republican Governor, Rick Perry, is doing a good or excellent job. Twenty-eight percent (28%) say he is doing a poor job.

President George W. Bush doesn't do as well. Just 39% of voters in his adopted home state say that the President has done a good or an excellent job. Forty-five percent (45%) rate his performance as poor.

This telephone survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports May 1, 2008. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

Link to full article

Noriega, citing U.S. deaths in Iraq, stills Web site

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

By W. Gardner Selby
Austin American-Statesman

Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Rick Noriega, a lieutenant colonel in the Texas National Guard, takes special exception to the United States reaching the milestone of 4,000 soldiers who have died in what he calls the "misguided war in Iraq."

Noriega, a Houston state representative, put his Web site out of action for 24 hours "to call attention to the failed policies that led us into war and kept us there with no plan for getting out."

His site includes a link (here) to a Washington Post list of Texans who have died in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, shows no war-related changes on his site.

Link to article

Noriega tops Democratic field to challenge Cornyn this fall

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Associated Press

State Representative Rick Noriega vanquished three Democratic primary competitors to advance to November's general election against U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.

The Texas National Guard lieutenant colonel, who spent 14 months in Afghanistan, avoided a runoff by winning about 51 percent of the vote with almost all precincts reporting. Cornyn easily defeated consultant Larry Kilgore in the Republican primary.

Perennial candidate Gene Kelly garnered 27 percent of the vote without campaigning at all, capitalizing instead on the name he shares with the song-and-dance star of the 1940s and '50s.

Corpus Christi high school teacher Ray McMurrey ran a spunky outsider campaign, even getting Noriega to agree to a debate. But he earned only 12 percent of the vote. Rhett Smith, another perennial candidate, won 10 percent of the vote.

Noriega and McMurrey promised to withdraw American troops from Iraq. McMurrey said he'd bring the troops home within 15 months. Noriega, a Houston Democrat, hasn't committed to a timetable other than to say he wants to immediately begin removing troops from combat.

Link to full article

Noriega leads Democratic U.S. Senate race

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800

By John Moritz
Star-Telegram.com

AUSTIN -- Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful Rick Noriega, riding his record as a five-term lawmaker and veteran of the war in Afghanistan, was building a big lead in the state's most populous counties Tuesday, but it was unclear in early voting as to whether he would win the outright majority needed to avoid a runoff.

Trailing in second place appeared to be perennial candidate Gene Kelly, a retired Army lawyer, in the early returns. Two other candidates were running far behind. Whoever finally emerges as the Democratic nominee will face first-term US Sen. John Cornyn, who was coasting to victory against little-known and underfunded Larry Kilgore of Mansfield in the Republican primary.

On the stump and in his campaign material, Noriega, 50, never missed an opportunity to remind Democratic primary voters of his military service. As a lieutenant colonel in the Army National Guard, he served 14 months as a National Guard officer in Afghanistan, which caused him to miss the 2005 legislative session. A year later, he served with his Guard unit on the Texas border assisting local law enforcement agencies.

Noriega, who represents a working-class state House district in Houston, enjoyed the backing of many Democratic Party leaders including former Gov. Dolph Briscoe and former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby.

Kelly, 81, who has run for several statewide offices with little or no campaigning, was the Democrats' standard bearer in the 2000 Senate race against popular Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Two other candidates were also in the race.

Ray McMurrey, 42, is a cancer survivor and Corpus Christi school teacher who was making his first bid for elective office.

While lacking the big-name backing and financial resources available to a major candidate, McMurrey styled himself as a latter-day Mr. Smith going to Washington. He touted his life experience in the classroom and in working in low-income areas of the state as evidence that he could represent ordinary citizens in the nation’s capital.

San Antonio security officer Rhett Smith, 57, who has run several campaigns in both the Democratic and Republican primaries, warned voters that the United States' foreign policy is tied too closely with Israel.

John Moritz reports from the Star-Telegrams Austin bureau.

Link to full article

Democratic Senate candidate releases military records

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

By Suzanne Gamboa
Associated Press

Texas Democratic Senate candidate Rick Noriega posted his military records online Wednesday, saying he wanted to prevent Republicans from using them for political attacks.

The approximately 75 pages of records from his service in the National Guard and Texas Army National Guard detail his climb in rank, his training and military education and his work and commendations. They also include evaluations that gush about his abilities.

Noriega is in a four-way race for the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn. Noriega faces Corpus Christi teacher Ray McMurrey and perennial candidates Gene Kelly and Rhett Smith in the March 4 primary.

The Republican Party of Texas had requested his records, but Noriega decided to release them publicly instead.

"We personally don't believe they had honorable intentions," Noriega said.

State GOP spokesman Hans Klingler issued a statement saying that Noriega had never talked about releasing his service records before the party asked for them and the Texas GOP is "proud to have played a part in making this happen."

Noreiga has made his military service a central theme of his campaign. He has used images of himself in camouflage in campaign materials and touted his experience in Afghanistan and on the Texas border as a member of the Guard. His campaign materials refer to him as Lt. Col. Noriega, rather than using his legislative title as a state representative.

But the experience of former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is still fresh to many candidates. The Swift Boat Veterans For Truth, a group bankrolled by Republicans such as Houston home builder Bob Perry and oilman T. Boone Pickens, criticized Kerry's war record in Vietnam in the 2004 campaign.

"There's not going to be any Swift Boating" because of Noriega's high marks, said Jon Soltz, cofounder and chairman of VoteVets.org, whose group endorsed Noriega. "It's not going to happen."

Noriega said his military experience would benefit him in the Senate because he understands what Texas veterans endure when they are deployed without proper equipment and don't get proper benefits and services when they return home.

Soltz criticized Cornyn for voting against a bill that would have guaranteed troops more time at home. "He (Noriega) is in touch with troops' opinions. Sen. Cornyn has sold them out on so many issues," Soltz said.

That drew an angry rebuke from Cornyn's campaign, which has regularly declined to comment on the race.

"Every single member of the United States Senate fully supports body armor for our troops and excellent health care for our veterans and Rick Noriega knows it," said Kevin McLaughlin, Cornyn's campaign spokesman. McLaughlin also released a long list of examples of Cornyn's support for veterans. He declined to comment on the content of Noriega's military records.

Within Noriega's records are evaluations that extol Noriega's management skills, attention to detail, integrity, hard work and potential for moving up in rank, among other things.

The records show Noriega, who entered the military as a second lieutenant, steadily climbed to the rank of lieutenant colonel. His superiors regularly recommended higher positions for him. Noriega is now an infantry battalion commander.

As a major, Noriega trained Afghanistan National Army battalion, or kandak, commanders and their staff, teaching Basic Combat Training. "MAJ Noriega made great strides in explaining basic training management to the (Afghanistan National Army) Officers, showing them by his example that initiative is critical to success," says an evaluation for the period he served in Afghanistan.

On the Net: Rick Noriega's military records: http://www.ricknoriega.com/news/press_releases?id0038

Link to article

Early Birds: D's outvoting R's More than 3 to 1; Lead in 14 of State's Largest 15 Counties

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Texas is experiencing a tsunami of early voting that has no precedent. I have linked to the Secretary of State's Web site, which provides day-by-day election totals and an archive of early voting history in previous elections.

[...]

These numbers are so overwhelming, and the fifteen counties have such a large fraction of the state's registered voters -- 7,815,906 of 12,607,466, or 62% -- that what happens in other 239 counties is unlikely to alter the trend. These numbers have made me a believer. Rick Noriega could defeat John Cornyn. The Democrats can win a majority in the Texas House of Representatives. The consummate irony is that George W. Bush, who made Texas a Republican state on his way in to the presidency, may make it a Democratic state on his way out.

Link to full article

Lufkin Daily News: Noriega is Texas Democrats' best hope to unseat Cornyn

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Lufkin Daily News

EDITORIAL: Senate Selections

Noriega is Texas Democrats' best hope to unseat Cornyn, a shoe-in for the Republican nomination

In a Republican state like Texas, the candidacy of any Democrat running for the U.S. Senate relies at least as much on hope as it does on credentials and message.

But Democrats have their hopes up this year because the GOP incumbent up for re-election, John Cornyn, 56, doesn't seem as popular as his Republican colleague, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Also, the GOP in general seems to be on the defensive over a deeply unpopular war and a struggling economy.

Still, this race is a long shot for Democrats, who have not won a U.S. Senate race in Texas since Lloyd Bentsen did it in 1988.

Democrats in the March 4 primary have four choices in nominating a candidate to run in this fall's general election, and easily the most qualified is Rick Noriega of Houston, a state representative and Texas National Guard officer.

The other three candidates are Ray McMurrey, an earnest Corpus Christi government teacher; Rhett Smith, a San Antonio security guard who ran as a Republican for governor in 2006; and Gene Kelly, a Universal City retiree and perennial candidate.

Noriega, 50, is a native Texan. He grew up in Houston and is a graduate of the University of Houston. He later earned a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University. He served in the Army and remains a lieutenant colonel in the Texas National Guard. He has served in Afghanistan and on border duty at Laredo.

Given his military credentials, it's not surprising that Noriega is in a better position than most Democrats to criticize the war in Iraq, which he says is the "key issue for us nationally." He has made it the centerpiece of his campaign, calling for U.S. troops to be brought home — not all at once, but in a steady withdrawal. He also says that "best exit strategy is to change the commander-in-chief," President Bush.

Cornyn, in contrast, remains a supporter of the war and is closely identified with the Bush administration.

Ultimately, Noriega said, the outcome of the war in Iraq will depend on political solutions, not military.

The most important domestic issue, he says, is health care. He wants to guarantee coverage through partnerships between the federal government, states, employers and health care providers, starting with an expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program. However, he declined to say at this point whether he favored Hillary Clinton's or Barack Obama's health care plan.

On immigration, Noriega has seen first-hand its impact on the border with Mexico and favors some sensible steps: securing borders and ports and providing a strict but achievable path to citizenship for those here illegally; penalizing employers who use illegal immigrants to drive down wages; and improving our system for admitting immigrants legally.

Noriega has stumbled at times, we think. He initially resisted a debate with McMurrey, but the two finally held one in Austin last week.

Nevertheless, Noriega remains the most qualified candidate in the Democratic field and deserves his party's nomination to run for the Senate this fall.

Link to article

Houston Chronicle endorses Rick Noriega

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Houston Chronicle

Primary endorsements
The Chronicle recommends these candidates for their party's nomination.

U.S. Senate, Democrat Rick Noriega -- A lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army National Guard, Noriega is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He served with distinction in the Texas Legislature for nine years and helped to manage the care of Hurricane Katrina victims evacuated to Houston.

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San Antonio Express-News: Noriega is Democrats' best pick in Senate race

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

San Antonio Express-News

Noriega is Democrats' best pick in Senate race

Of the four Democrats vying for the party's nomination to the U.S. Senate, Rick Noriega is undoubtedly the best candidate.

A five-term member of the Texas House, Noriega also is an Army veteran and lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army National Guard.

Noriega, a Houstonian who served in Afghanistan for 14 months, has strong feelings about the war in Iraq and can capably voice the Democratic view of the Bush administration's handling of the situation. Noriega supports a "phased military redeployment" that moves U.S. troops from "Iraq's civil wars."

Additionally, Noriega supports an "earned" way for undocumented immigrants to come out of the shadows.

Noriega's opponents include two perennials -- Gene Kelly and Rhett Smith -- who don't merit serious consideration, and Ray McMurrey, a Corpus Christi high school teacher.

McMurrey is idealistic and energetic, but he lacks Noriega's preparation and acumen.

Noriega represents a more pragmatic option for Democrats in the November campaign to unseat Republican Sen. John Cornyn.

The veteran lawmaker has his eyes open about the difficult general election campaign ahead, and he is not likely to shy away from taking tough stances.

We recommend that Democrats nominate Noriega.

Link to article

Austin American-Statesman: Democrats Holding Out Hope

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Austin American-Statesman

Democrats Holding Out Hope

In a Republican state like Texas, the candidacy of any Democrat running for the U.S. Senate relies at least as much on hope as it does on credentials and message.

But Democrats have their hopes up this year because the GOP incumbent up for re-election, John Cornyn, 56, doesn't seem as popular as his Republican colleague, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Also, the GOP in general seems to be on the defensive over a deeply unpopular war and a struggling economy.

Still, this race is a long shot for Democrats, who have not won a U.S. Senate race in Texas since Lloyd Bentsen did it in 1988.

Democrats in the March 4 primary have four choices in nominating a candidate to run in this fall's general election, and easily the most qualified is Rick Noriega of Houston, a state representative and Texas National Guard officer.

The other three candidates are Ray McMurrey, an earnest Corpus Christi government teacher; Rhett Smith, a San Antonio security guard who ran as a Republican for governor in 2006; and Gene Kelly, a Universal City retiree and perennial candidate.

Noriega, 50, is a native Texan. He grew up in Houston and is a graduate of the University of Houston. He later earned a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University. He served in the Army and remains a lieutenant colonel in the Texas National Guard. He has served in Afghanistan and on border duty at Laredo.

Given his military credentials, it's not surprising that Noriega is in a better position than most Democrats to criticize the war in Iraq, which he says is the "key issue for us nationally." He has made it the centerpiece of his campaign, calling for U.S. troops to be brought home - not all at once, but in a steady withdrawal. He also says that "best exit strategy is to change the commander-in-chief," President Bush.

Cornyn, in contrast, remains a supporter of the war and is closely identified with the Bush administration.

Ultimately, Noriega said, the outcome of the war in Iraq will depend on political solutions, not military.

The most important domestic issue, he says, is health care. He wants to guarantee coverage through partnerships between the federal government, states, employers and health care providers, starting with an expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program. However, he declined to say at this point whether he favored Hillary Clinton's or Barack Obama's health care plan.

On immigration, Noriega has seen first-hand its impact on the border with Mexico and favors some sensible steps: securing borders and ports and providing a strict but achievable path to citizenship for those here illegally; penalizing employers who use illegal immigrants to drive down wages; and improving our system for admitting immigrants legally.

Noriega has stumbled at times, we think. He initially resisted a debate with McMurrey, but the two finally held one in Austin last week.

Nevertheless, Noriega remains the most qualified candidate in the Democratic field and deserves his party's nomination to run for the Senate this fall.

Link to article

El Paso Times Endorses Rick

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

El Paso Times

U.S. Senate: Cornyn, Noriega are choices

Democrats voting in the March 4 primary should choose Richard J. "Rick" Noriega as their candidate for U.S. Senate.

With the country engaged in war and El Paso so heavily involved with active duty military and veterans, we like that Noriega is a lieutenant colonel in the Texas National Guard and also a veteran legislator, now in his fifth term as Houston state rep in the Texas House.

He also has front-line experience with border security, serving as Laredo Border Sector Commander in the Guard and working with state, local and federal officials in cracking down on smuggling of both drugs and humans.

He also has fought for accessible and affordable health care -- a huge concern along the border -- and is a great proponent of alternative, renewable energy sources.

We recommend that Democrats vote for Rick Noriega.

Link to article

Dallas Morning News: We Recommend Rick Noriega

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Dallas Morning News

We recommend

Rick Noriega as Democratic Senate nominee

Rick Noriega, a five-term state representative from Houston, wins our nod in the Democratic Senate primary. Mr. Noriega's legislative experience, military background and academic training easily make him the best candidate in the four-man Democratic field.

Ray McMurrey, 42, a Corpus Christi high school teacher, is Mr. Noriega's only serious opposition. He's bright, articulate and committed, but he lacks Mr. Noriega's broad base of experience.

The other opponents are Gene Kelly, perennial candidate and 81-year-old Universal City retiree, and Rhett Smith, 57, a San Antonio security guard who worries about Israel's nuclear weaponry.

Mr. Noriega has served in the Texas House since 1999 and knows how laws get made. Holding a Harvard master's degree in public administration is no hindrance, either.

This newspaper named Houston its 2005 Texan of the Year for the city's effective response to the Hurricane Katrina evacuee crisis. As Mayor Bill White's point man running the convention center shelter, Mr. Noriega deserves much of the credit.

He touts his military background, an impressive record of service. Mr. Noriega is a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army National Guard, in which he's served for 28 years. In 2005, he completed a 14-month deployment to Afghanistan, which has made him a well-informed critic of U.S. policy there and strengthened his advocacy for veterans.

Having commanded Guard soldiers deployed to the Texas-Mexico border in 2006, Mr. Noriega intimately knows the difficulties of securing that area, which is partly why he backs comprehensive immigration reform. This is not just political theory for him.

The problem for Rick Noriega is that while he has a strong resume, he has trouble clearly articulating his positions and his vision. If he expects to have any success against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, he needs to become as good in person as he is on paper.

Link to article

Austin Chronicle Endorses Rick Noriega

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Austin Chronicle

U.S. Senate: Rick Noriega

Disastrous as the Bush administration has been, removing one of Dubya's biggest cheerleaders from the U.S. Senate will still be an uphill fight in our very conservative state. Should a Democrat unseat John Cornyn, it will be by the narrowest of margins. The only candidate who might actually reach that threshold is clearly Rick Noriega. Houstonian Noriega has experience both campaigning and passing legislation, and he has been elected to the Texas House five times. He also has a distinct qualification Cornyn does not: military experience. The Army vet and Texas Army National Guard lieutenant colonel did a stint in Afghanistan, as well as in operations on the Mexico border and in Houston during Hurricane Katrina. That should impress Texans who hold the military in high regard but are sick of the immoral and illegal Iraq war, which Noriega wants to end. Noriega's competitors can't match that background. Perennial candidates Rhett Smith and Gene Kelly are little more than hobbyists (in the case of the latter, a dangerous one). Ray McMurrey is more credible, but barely so. His candidacy is based on the notion that he is a progressive alternative to Noriega, but Noriega has in fact been a progressive vote for eight years – McMurrey himself has praised Noriega for having "a fine record in the Legislature on social issues." McMurrey criticizes Noriega's employment with an energy company as evidence that he lacks independence from corporate America, but no less than Public Citizen's Tom "Smitty" Smith has lauded Noriega for recusing himself from votes where there is a potential conflict of interest. There are certain races where a progressive purity test might be understandable, but a U.S. Senate seat from Texas is not among them. Democrats should pick Noriega as a realistic challenger capable of reaching beyond their own ranks and swaying the moderate middle that wants a palatable replacement for GOP incumbent Cornyn.

Link to article

Noriega, McMurrey square off in debate

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

By Kelley Shannon
Associated Press

Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Rick Noriega and Ray McMurrey each said he is the best candidate to take on incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn as the two Democrats faced off in a debate Wednesday night.

"I've answered this call to serve throughout my lifetime," said Noriega, a Houston state legislator, emphasizing his political and military experience and criticizing Cornyn as someone who doesn't truly represent Texans' interests.

McMurrey, a Corpus Christi school teacher, said he's the true reformer and that Noriega hasn't been a leader in health care reform or campaign finance reform.

"I am the citizen candidate, the teacher, the political scientist, ready to tell the truth to the American public," McMurrey said. "Our democracy cannot be for sale."

As they have in previous joint appearances, Noriega and McMurrey clashed early over the role of money in elections and both spoke of their desire to end the war in Iraq.

But McMurrey said he wants firm timetables for troop withdrawal, within 15 months, while Noriega didn't commit to a timetable other than to say he wants to begin immediately removing troops from combat.

This was their first head-to-head debate and was co-hosted by the University Democrats of the University of Texas at Austin and Keep Austin Blue. Karen Brooks of The Dallas Morning News and Eileen Smith of Texas Monthly moderated the debate.

With so much attention now focused on the presidential race in Texas, the already low-key Democratic Senate race is barely capturing the public's attention. But that interest in the presidential race could create unusually high Democratic turnout for the Senate race and others.

Noriega tries to capitalize on his military experience as a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army National Guard who spent 14 months in Afghanistan.

McMurrey, who has never held political office, calls Noriega the favorite candidate of big money interests and vows to reform campaign finance.

Noriega keeps his criticism focused on Cornyn, the state's former attorney general who was elected to the Senate in 2002. Besides the advantage of incumbency in a Republican state, Cornyn has far more campaign money than either of the main Democratic candidates. Cornyn faces only minor opposition from consultant Larry Kilgore in his GOP primary.

Also running in the Democratic field, but not participating in Wednesday's debate, were Rhett Smith and perennial candidate Gene Kelly.

Kelley Shannon has covered Texas politics and government in Austin since 2000.

Link to article

Senate hopeful Noriega vows health care reform

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

By Bob Campbell
Midland Reporter-Telegram

Democratic state Rep. Rick Noriega of Houston said Saturday that his military service and advocacy of health care and educational reforms will propel him to his party's nomination against U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in the Nov. 4 general election.

"The people of Texas are tired of being misled, misinformed and being told two and two are five," he told 40 supporters in a noontime rally at Midland's Democratic headquarters at 601 S. Main St.

"This is a David and Goliath race, but as Wilt Chamberlain once said, nobody likes Goliath."

Noriega, who represents the 145th District in Austin, conceded Cornyn is better financed and enjoys the advantages of incumbency; but he said he "will have enough" money to advertise on TV and his support of competitive bidding for health management organizations and making college more affordable will gain him the necessary support.

"Working families should not have to ask, 'Can I afford to be sick?'" said Noriega, 50.

He faces Corpus Christi school teacher Ray McMurrey and perennial candidates Gene Kelly of Universal City and Rhett Smith of San Antonio in the March 4 Democratic primary.

Introduced by County Vice Democratic Chairman David Rosen, Noriega said his 2004-05 National Guard service as a major training Afghani troops near Kabul proved he "walks the talk" to serve his country.

Texas State Teachers Association board member John Duncan, an Odessa elementary school teacher, said the TSTA has endorsed Noriega because he helped pass a teachers' pay raise last year, sought more funding for school districts and opposed private school vouchers, among other actions.

"Rick will continue working on these important issues in the U.S. Senate," Duncan said.

Noriega is giving up the state representative's seat he has held since 1999 to seek the Senate seat in Washington, an aide noted. Cornyn is opposed in his primary by Biblical fundamentalist Larry Kilgore of Mansfield.

Noriega graduated from Alvin Junior College and the University of Houston and earned a master's degree in public administration at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. His wife Melissa is an at-large member of the Houston City Council who served in his place during the 2005 state legislative session.

Link to article

Democratic Senate candidate Noriega stumps in Lubbock

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

By Eric Finley
Avalanche Journal

State Rep. Rick Noriega, running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. John Cornyn, stumped with his message for change in several West Texas cities on Friday.

"Here in the Panhandle and the South Plains we recognize that we have been off course for some time," he told Democrats gathered at the Lubbock County Democratic Party headquarters.

He acknowledged agricultural issues weren't his strength but said he'd rely on the expertise of former U.S. Rep. Charlie Stenholm, a favorite among West Texas Democrats and once a leading agricultural legislator.

Noriega, D-Houston, has served five terms in the Texas House of Representatives. The front-runner in next month's Democratic primary, he has raised considerably more money than any of his three primary opponents.

He said he liked national health care plans that require coverage as a way to lower costs and would work to stop employers from hiring undocumented workers.

He also spoke with college students from Texas Tech with concerns about the rising cost of higher education. Josh Nunez, president of a student Democratic organization at Tech, said he has friends at the state university who graduate with $40,000 in loans.

"We as Democrats and working Texans have to fight that issue," Noriega said.

Noriega is a lieutenant colonel in the Texas National Guard. He took leave from the Legislature in 2005 to serve in Afghanistan.

Noriega spoke passionately about the war and against privatization of military duties and said Cornyn was part of a problematic Congress who didn't know "an M-16 from M&Ms."

Link to article

Carlos Guerra: Noriega has many of the attributes to beat Texas GOP and Cornyn

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

By Carlos Guerra
San Antonio Express-News

Will Texas Democrats finally start winning statewide elections again? State Rep. Rick Noriega of Houston -- who wants to deny U.S. Sen. John Cornyn a second term -- is betting on it.

Wednesday, he ended a three-day tour that took him through the Coastal Bend to the Valley, the Laredo area and the Wintergarden before ending at his San Antonio campaign offices.

It was packed with a diverse crowd that included many office-holders. But also there were many dipping their toes into political waters for the first time.

On the tour, a staffer said, crowds varied from a few dozen to several hundred, but enthusiasm is high, and small contributions already total $1 million.

"People are fed up with leadership that keeps telling them that things are fine, the economy is great and the war is going well," Noriega says. "It's transparent, and someone has to say, 'The emperor has no clothes.'

"People recognize disingenuousness and incompetence; they are ready for change," he said as his father José -- also a proud veteran -- beamed.

Beating an incumbent is usually an uphill endeavor. But few discount the potential perils posed by an anti-GOP mood that is now even spreading in Texas. Nor does anyone underestimate this challenger's credentials.

The great-grandson of immigrants, Noriega enrolled in junior college in 1976 on an athletic scholarship and attended the University of Houston on an ROTC scholarship, earning his B.A. -- and officer's commission -- in 1984. After a stint at the Texas Insurance Commission, he continued his studies at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Public Affairs, where he earned a master's in 1990.

Eight years later, he won the first of four terms in the Texas House, where House colleague José Menendez says: "He was extremely effective because he could work with both Democrats and Republicans."

But along the way, Noriega's studies -- and his public service -- were interrupted more than once by the military's calls.

Noriega joined the Army National Guard as a private after Iranian militants took Americans hostage in 1979. After 9-11, he had become a major who commanded an infantry unit in Afghanistan for 14 months, while his wife Melissa -- now a Houston city councilwoman -- filled in for him in Austin.

Noriega then returned to Houston a lieutenant colonel and was quickly named to command the city's Hurricane Katrina relief efforts that turned the convention center into a shelter for 30,000 evacuees and then dismantled it -- all in 30 days.

When President Bush ordered the National Guard to provide support for the Border Patrol in 2006, Noriega again volunteered, becoming commander of the Laredo Sector and gaining valuable insight into border issues that he says are cynically being manipulated for political gain.

"Without due process, the federal government is starting to seize Texans' land," Noriega says of the planned border wall. "Whether you're in the Panhandle or in Brownsville or El Paso, you know that violates everything we created this state for."

He is also fond of quoting Cornyn, who once called the border wall "an 18th-century solution for a 21st-century problem," -- but, Noriega said, Cornyn "has kept voting for it and voting for its funding."

Whether Noriega's impressive résumé -- and the discontent over President Bush's handling of the war, the sagging economy, the worsening subprime mortgage debacle and escalating gas prices -- will motivate enough Democrats and independents to put Noriega over the top remains to be seen.

What is clear is that Cornyn's lockstep defense of Bush policies may have landed the junior senator plum committee assignments that keep him visible on national newscasts and have fattened his war chest.

But Cornyn may also face problems distancing himself from an administration that, as the economy worsens, is quickly turning into one of the most unpopular in decades.

Link to article

U.S. Senate Candidate Rick Noriega Visits Valley

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

By Victor Castillo
KGBT4

A candidate for U.S. Senate visited the Valley on Monday and sat down one-on-one with Action 4 News to say why he should be one of the two U.S. Senators for Texas.

We're talking about 49-year old Rick Noriega, the Democrat Houston legislator who is also a National Guard Lieutenant Colonel.

During his visit to the Valley, Noriega shared why he's challenging Texas' incumbent Junior Senator, Republican John Cornyn.

Rick Noriega said he is no stranger to public service.

Having served in both the armed forces and in public office in the Texas House of Representatives, he tells Action 4 News he's prepared to restore integrity in the U.S. Senate.

"It's time for a change in leadership and I'm going to be that leader of change" Noriega said.

Noriega says he's challenging U.S. Senator John Cornyn because Cornyn's voting history does not reflect representation of the Valley's and Texas values.

"Whether is bringing home the monies to repair the levee system, whether as Mr. Cornyn has voted for the wall here on the border and then voted to fund the wall, voted against the CHIP program, voted against increasing student loans for our students can go to college."

Noriega says his challenge for the U.S. Senate may be like David and Goliath but he is 100 percent sure he understands border issues better than John Cornyn.

"As you know I'm the only candidate perhaps in the United States that has actually commanded National Guard soldiers as in Laredo Sector Commander fighting against "los narcotraficantes", human smugglers and people who launder money."

Noriega's priority is to bring U.S. troops back from Iraq and bring federal funds to the Valley to fix the levee systems.

"It's not about me, it's about us, are we ready to answer the call and to step up and accept that challenge? To change the way things are and change the course of our state and our country? And it's going to take the people of the Valley that will elect the next United States senator from the State of Texas"

Link to article

Noriega's Senate bid attracts national Democrats

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

By R.G. Ratcliffe
Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

State lawmaker goes to Las Vegas to let donors know 'Texas is in play'

AUSTIN -- With millionaire Mikal Watts out of the U.S. Senate race, the national Democratic Party is now treating Houston state Rep. Rick Noriega as the apparent party challenger to Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.

Noriega is traveling today to Las Vegas as a guest of the Democratic National Committee to meet national party donors who are attending the Nevada Democratic Party's presidential debate, which begins at 7 p.m. Central Time.

"They've got a lot of national donors coming to this, and we wanted them to put a face with the name," Noriega told the Houston Chronicle on Wednesday. "What's going to happen is across the country folks are going to start realizing that Texas is in play."

In the past several weeks, Noriega also has picked up endorsements from past Democratic presidential candidates John Kerry and Wesley Clark.

"It's a different race now, from a primary to a general election," Noriega said Wednesday.

Another sign that Noriega is turning the national party to his favor occurred last week in Austin, where he was a guest at a fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

The senatorial committee will not decide which state races to finance until late next summer, but chairman Sen. Charles Schumer had in the past indicated a preference for Watts as the party nominee because Watts, a San Antonio trial lawyer, could largely finance his own campaign.

Because of campaign finance limits, it will be difficult for Noriega to finance his general election against Cornyn with just the money donated by Texans. Noriega ended September with $510,000 in the bank to Cornyn's $6.6 million.

The task is not insurmountable, though. Democrat Ron Kirk in the 2002 Senate race raised $912,000 in the year before the election. By the end of the campaign, Kirk had raised $9.6 million. Cornyn won the race, raising $9.3 million, but both candidates received several million dollars more in independent expenditures by national party committees.

Link to full article

Cornyn should hang his head on illegal alien education vote

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

By Massey Villarreal
Fort Worth Star-Telegram

One of the most pressing issues facing our nation today is fixing our deeply flawed immigration system. This is particularly true in border states such as Texas.

But earlier this year, Congress failed to take action to reform this system. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, was central to that failure. And he was central to the recent failure to pass the common-sense DREAM Act, which he had supported in the past in a much broader version. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, sought to amend that legislation and worked hard to perfect it.

The one tried and true path to achieve the American Dream is a quality education, and even though efforts to enact comprehensive immigration reform fell short this year, a bipartisan group of senators introduced the DREAM Act last month. The legislation would have provided hard-working immigrant children who pursue higher education or volunteer for military service with an avenue to win legal status by proving their character.

In the U.S. today, there are students who have lived practically their entire lives in this country; they've gone to high school here, they've worked hard to succeed and have talent that our economy and armed forces need.

Whatever one thinks about the immigration issue, these children typically were brought to the U.S. by their parents when they were too young to understand the manner of their arrival, let alone have any control over the decision. A majority of these kids know no other country as their home and speak no language but our own.

Sadly, Cornyn makes it a policy to demand that Hispanic children from Texas prove their legal status before allowing them to meet with him in Washington.

By caving in to the fears of a vocal minority, Cornyn and many of his colleagues turned their backs on thousands of kids living and striving in our communities. He thumbed his nose at the Texas Legislature (which created a state version of the act in 2001) and Gov. Rick Perry (who signed it). They recognized the return on investment to our state from allowing these kids to reach their potential and contribute fully to our economy.

Texans know better, and that is why our state has refused to buy into fear-mongering and political scapegoating of hard-working immigrants of good character.

Cornyn might talk a good game, but his actions speak louder than his hollow words. There is no excuse for voting against such a narrowly crafted piece of legislation as the DREAM Act, particularly when the senior senator from our state stood on the floor of the U.S. Senate asking for his vote and promising a tough bill that would satisfy both sides of the debate.

The writing is on the wall where Cornyn is concerned. He has joined the ranks of the know-nothing, do-nothing obstructionists who refuse to deal with the immigration issue in a manner that will lead to responsible and practical reform.

This issue won't go away on its own, and it isn't reasonable to pass the buck to state and local governments. There are 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, and without sensible reform, the situation will only get worse.

The American public is fed up with politicians like Cornyn who fail to act. In the absence of any immigration reform, local tensions will simmer, public frustration will mount, and we will be no closer to providing the security, enforcement and accountability the American people demand.

Massey Villarreal is the former national chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly and a board member of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Link to article

Democratic Senate candidate to visit Brownsville today

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

The Brownsville Herald

Democratic Senate candidate Rick Noriega is scheduled to make a stop in Brownsville today at a breakfast hosted by District Attorney Armando Villalobos at the law office of Trey Martinez, 1201 E. Van Buren St. The breakfast is scheduled to run from 8 to 9 a.m.

Noriega, who served in the U.S. Army, rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army National Guard. He is a Democratic state representative from Houston.

Noriega is calling his three-day visit to the Rio Grande Valley, "Answering the Call to Service -- South Texas Barnstorming Tour."

The candidate’s first stop is in McAllen, to be followed by Brownsville, Weslaco, and Edinburg. He also planned to visit Zapata, Laredo, Eagle Pass, Del Rio, Uvalde, Hondo and San Antonio.

Noriega faces Democratic Party candidates Gene Kelly, Ray McMurrey, and Rhett R. Smith as they try to unseat Republican incumbent John Cornyn for a six-year term of office. Cornyn faces challenger Larry Kilgore.

Libertarian candidates include Scott Jameson, Jon Roland, and Yvonne Schick.

Candidates who filed a declaration of their intent to run as Independents include W. Leon Smith, Michael R. Powell, Robert V. Belt and Robert James Devine.

Link to article

Senate hopeful Noriega introduces himself to S. Texas

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

By R.G. Ratcliffe
Houston Chronicle

KINGSVILLE -- Democratic senatorial candidate Rick Noriega introduced himself to South Texas on Monday by telling audiences the region has not had representation in the U.S. Senate since Lloyd Bentsen left office in 1993.

Noriega accused Republican incumbent Sen. John Cornyn of failing to fight for the region on issues such as funding the repair of flood levies and the construction of a Veterans Affairs hospital in South Texas.

But it also was clear that the Democrats who attended the Noriega gatherings had come to find out who he is. The five-term Texas House member from Houston, who is married to Houston City Councilwoman Melissa Noriega, is barely known south of the Nueces River.

"I came out here to meet him because I didn't know who he was," said Robert Tapa, a member of the Robstown school board.

Noriega cousin Armando Gonzalez of Robstown was asked whether people in South Texas had ever heard of Noriega. Gonzalez replied, "Not really, but they're going to find out."

Noriega readily admitted that in a four-way race for the Democratic nomination, he needed to reach out to the people and political leaders of an important party constituency. "Forty percent of the primary is San Antonio and all of South Texas. For the primary's sake, you've got to go fishing where the fish are," Noriega said.

While repeatedly going after Cornyn, Noriega never mentioned his three primary opponents: Corpus Christi school teacher Ray McMurrey or perennial candidates Rhett Smith and Gene Kelly.

A lieutenant colonel in the National Guard, Noriega made a special effort at every stop to reach out to retired military personnel wearing service ball caps. And he emphasized the lack of a veterans hospital in South Texas, saying Cornyn had failed the region.

"South Texas has not had a United States senator in years, since the time of Lloyd Bentsen," Noriega told about 40 people at Lena's Filipino Restaurant in Kingsville.

"When was the last time you saw John Cornyn here, fighting for the people of Kingsville, Kleberg County and South Texas?"

A woman in Kingsville asked Noriega if he could support pending legislation to build a South Texas veterans hospital, and he answered, "Without question."

Cornyn campaign spokesman Kevin McLaughlin took Noriega's statement as an endorsement of a bill Cornyn introduced in June 2007.

"We appreciate Representative Noriega endorsing Senator Cornyn's legislation to bring a $175 million VA hospital to the Valley, " McLaughlin said.

Cornyn's proposal essential calls for a study of the needs of veterans in South Texas and, depending on the outcome, calls for in-patient care at an existing hospital; construction of a 50-bed hospital with a 125-bed nursing home; or create health care through a sharing agreement with an unnamed military facility.

Noriega said Cornyn is a "latecomer to the game." Noriega said the legislation he supports is carried by U.S. Reps. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, and Ruben Hinojosa, D-Mercedes. The region needs a full veterans hospital, not a clinic, he added.

Also Monday, Noriega's campaign entered serious negotiations with McMurrey to have a debate. Noriega has been criticized for refusing to rise to McMurrey's debate challenge.

McMurrey spokesman William Pate said Noriega's campaign at first agreed to a Feb. 13 debate and then wanted it on Feb. 28. Pate said both dates would be good with McMurrey. Noriega said campaign manager Sue Schechter was negotiating the details.

Noriega's South Texas tour took him to Corpus Christi, Robstown, Kingsville, Falfurrias, Raymondville and McAllen on Monday.

His planned stops today are in Brownsville, Weslaco, Edinburg, Zapata and Laredo. On Wednesday, he is going to Eagle Pass, Del Rio, Uvalde, Hondo and finishing in San Antonio at the Bexar County campaign headquarters.

The heavily Hispanic region is a key Democratic primary battleground. Hispanics make up about 40 percent of the Democratic primary vote, and in South Texas they have a history of ethnic identity voting that gives Latino candidates an edge.

South Texas twice played a major role in the everyman U.S. Senate races of Mesquite school teacher Victor Morales.

The region in 1996 made him the Democratic senatorial nominee, defeating two incumbent congressmen. He lost the general election to incumbent Republican Phil Gramm.

Then, in a five-way Senate primary in 2002, Morales was the state's top vote-getter in part because he carried the heavily Hispanic counties of Cameron, Hidalgo, Nueces and Webb and came in first in Bexar.

Former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk won the nomination by substantially outspending Morales in the runoff. Kirk lost the general election to Cornyn. Morales carried Cameron and Bexar counties in the runoff, but lost the other counties to Kirk.

"Ron Kirk had to make a large investment to make sure Victor didn't take South Texas," said consultant James Aldrete, who worked for Noriega in the early stages of his campaign.

Aldrete said in 2004, the Democratic primary vote in South Texas was 12 percent of the total statewide. The Houston media market made up 15 percent of the Democratic primary vote, he said.

South Texas, he said, is an area where Noriega's military experience will resonate. Aldrete said on a per capita basis, probably no other section of the state has as many of its young people serve in the military.

Democratic consultant Jason Stanford, who worked for San Antonio lawyer Mikal Watts before he dropped out of the race, also said Noriega's service in Afghanistan will be a plus in winning votes in the valley.

"A Hispanic Democrat who has a war record has the right profile for the Valley," Stanford said.

Link to article

Rick Noriega Speech to Texas AFL-CIO Convention

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Austin, TX
January 19, 2008
As prepared for delivery

Thank, you Texas.

They've given me 10 minutes to talk to you about why I'm running for Senate.

I can summarize it in three words:

I've had enough.

I've had enough of insurance companies making record profits while so many Americans do not have affordable health care.

And I've had enough of Mr. Cornyn siding with those insurance companies, and doing nothing about it.

If you work hard and play by the rules, you shouldn't have to worry about whether you can afford to get sick. It's time we had a Senator who will fight to make sure everyone has access to quality affordable health care. I'll fight for health care reform that puts our families first – not insurance company profits.

I've had enough of our leadership hanging our fighting men and women out to dry.

And I've had enough of Mr. Cornyn letting this President get away with it.

From leaving our troops without a plan and without body armor from Iraq to Afghanistan, to refusing to take care of our veterans when they come home, our country is failing to honor those who are making the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

It's time we had a Senator who will demand our nation have a plan to bring our troops home from Iraq, and care for them when we do. Ill fight to make sure that veterans have access to the highest quality health care, ensure the V.A. is fully funded, and make sure no veteran is left behind. For the men and women I served with in Afghanistan, and for every Texan who's heard the call to service, I'll make our soldiers and veterans the priority they ought to be.

I've had enough of college costs spiraling out of reach for middle class families.

As a state representative I stood on the frontlines and spoke out against tuition deregulation because it would have raised tuition rates across Texas – a tax on both middle class families and the aspirations of thousands working to join the middle class.

It's time we had a Senator committed to making a college education and post-high school training more affordable so our kids can get the best jobs in the 21st Century. I'll keep fighting to make college affordable for every Texas family.

I've had enough of our country not having an energy policy. It is time we had a Senator who will work to end our dependence on foreign oil. I'll fight for renewable energy, and create new green jobs here in Texas.

I've had enough of our federal government making it harder for workers to organize.

Mr. Cornyn was wrong to vote against the employee free choice act.

It's time we had a Senator who recognize that you can't have a strong America unless you have strong workers.

And I've had enough of the idea that Democrats ought to be afraid to stand up and be counted.

Once you've been shot at for real, taking a few political shots doesn't really bother you as much.

Mr. Cornyn and his allies are going to spend a lot of money telling you who I am. Well, I'll save them the trouble – I'll tell you right now.

I joined thousands of my fellow Texans in serving our country on the frontlines. I won't let anyone try to tell Texans that Democrats aren't prepared to protect in America.

I'm honored to have served securing our southern border in dealing with the immigration crisis. I won't let anyone try to tell Texans that Democrats aren't serious about immigration.

Specifically, we're serious about not continuing the Bush/Cornyn policy of letting employers off the hook when they use our broken immigration system to try to drive down wages.

And I'm honored to have been asked by Mayor White to help Houston respond to the influx of Katrina refugees.

And I won't let Mr. Cornyn and his allies try to tell us that because they screwed up in New Orleans, none of us should be allowed to believe that we can ever accomplish anything.

While we're offering change, they're selling cynicism.

I've had enough.

And, after five years of Mr. Cornyn, voters have, too.

Have you had enough?

Noriega goes on attack against Cornyn as Cornyn aides look on

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Kelly Shannon
Associated Press

AUSTIN--Democratic Senate candidate Rick Noriega, warning that two aides to Republican Sen. John Cornyn were lurking in the audience, attacked Cornyn Thursday for a series of votes that he said hurt Texans.

At a joint appearance for Democratic Senate candidates, Noriega noted to the Central Texas Democratic Forum that Cornyn aides Dave Beckwith and Kevin McLaughlin were present. The two registered to attend the luncheon and sat quietly wearing name tags.

"I hope by the end of my presentation you'll agree to vote for me as well," Noriega said to the Cornyn employees, to laughs and applause.

"With all due respect to our junior senator who currently occupies the seat once held by Lyndon Baines Johnson," Noriega said, Cornyn's opposition to expanding the state Children's Health Insurance Program "is not standing up for Texas families."

He listed other Cornyn votes on the military, immigration, higher education and prescription drug costs that he said weren't in the best interest of Texans.

"You've got to have a vision of where we can go as Texans," said Noriega, a five-term state representative from Houston.

Noriega is the best known and best-financed candidate for the Democratic Senate nomination.

Earlier, forum organizer Chuck Herring let the Cornyn insults flow.

"He is, in my view, charitably considered, he is the most worthless excuse for a senator Texas has ever had," Herring said. "And I do not like him."

The Cornyn spokesmen said afterward they had no comment on the Democratic event.

Noriega and Cornyn are the frontrunners in their respective parties for the March 4 primaries.

Candidate Ray McMurrey, a Corpus Christi teacher, said it isn't enough just to replace Cornyn. He said the next senator must have a "proactive reform agenda," and he said he wants to bring American troops home from the war in Iraq in a year's time.

"Every one of us in some way has been touched by this war," McMurrey said.

He said social programs have been slashed to pay for the costly war and that it's time for an Iraqi political solution to the problem.

Noriega, a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army National Guard who spent 14 months in Afghanistan, has said he wants to tie funding for the Iraq war to a "logistically reasonable" timetable for withdrawal that includes the safe removal of troops and equipment.

McMurrey, calling for a head-to-head debate with Noriega, criticized Noriega as the candidate of big money lobbyists. He said Noriega should have worked in the Legislature for campaign finance reform.

"People want to make this about the money and not about the ideas," he said.

Democratic primary candidate Rhett Smith said he wants to stand up for civil rights worldwide and against hate speech that he said some national talk radio hosts use to "totally abuse the airwaves."

"This is not what America stands for," he said.

The fourth Democratic candidate, Gene Kelly, was not there. Organizer Chuck Herring warned the crowd to spread the word to vote against Kelly, a perennial candidate who draws attention because of his famous dancer name.

Cornyn faces minor opposition from consultant Larry Kilgore on the GOP side.

Kelley Shannon has covered Texas politics and government based in Austin since 2000.

Link to article

Boots on the Ground: Veteran Rick Noriega stands up to Bush, Cornyn, and the Iraq war.

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Jan Reid
Texas Observer

Rick Noriega, the Democratic Houston legislator and candidate for U.S. Senate, is tall, trim, handsome, and bald. The National Guard lieutenant colonel, 49, was working a small crowd of San Antonio Democrats and donors this past September with both the habitual shoulders-back posture of a career soldier and the fluid ease of a onetime junior college infielder. "I'm nobody's Don Quixote," he told me in a later interview, acknowledging the odds against his turning out Texas' incumbent junior senator, Republican John Cornyn. "I'm too old to go off tilting at windmills. But I'm fed up."

Though Noriega addresses many issues, the heart of his campaign is the mess that George W. Bush, neocon ideologues, and apologists like Cornyn have made of the war in Iraq. The challenger's campaign logo, and metaphor, is a dusty pair of Army combat boots—a pointed distinction between himself and Cornyn. On seeing American hostages humiliated in Tehran by Iranian militants in 1979, when he was 21, Noriega joined the Guard as a private in a burst of conviction that he had to do something. He was a corporal when he won an ROTC scholarship at the University of Houston. Nearing 30, after a decade of work for the Texas Insurance Commission, he was accepted by the John F. Kennedy School of Public Affairs at Harvard. After graduate school, he came back to Houston, ran a losing race for the state House of Representatives at 32, worked as an aide of Houston state Sen. John Whitmire, got a job lobbying the Legislature for a public utilities firm, then ran again for the House and won in 1998. After 9/11, by then a major, Noriega was called up in 2004 and sent to Afghanistan to command an infantry unit with a lineage that goes back to the Alamo.

Rick Noriega

Democrats know why they want to vote politicians like Cornyn out of office. But not since Ann Richards have Texas Democrats fielded a major candidate who inspired them to weather a long, uphill fight and in the end turn out to vote. Could this great-grandson of Mexican immigrants be the one? Noriega has a compelling story. But can he get it told to hundreds of thousands of people, including the necessary independents and crossover Republicans?

Cornyn, whom Bush nicknamed "Corndog" when Bush was Texas' governor, barks at anyone, including GOP Senate colleagues, who dares criticize the president's rationale and conduct of his self-proclaimed War on Terror. Cornyn has toed the administration lines on Guantánamo, Abu Ghraib, and torture. But Cornyn, a 55-year-old native of San Antonio, was too young to have to make any personal decisions about service in Vietnam, and in the post-draft era he plunged into law school and a practice defending against medical malpractice suits, setting his sights on a district court seat that became his springboard to a GOP career. He was elected attorney general in 1998 and U.S. senator in 2002, pulled along in both races by Bush's popularity in Texas and the guidance and grooming of Karl Rove. For all his hawkish bluster, Cornyn has never had to risk his neck under fire or even stand for a military inspection.

Since Noriega wears fatigues and boots as a reserve member of the Army, he cannot afford to overstate his rebukes of his commander-in-chief. He doesn't have to. Today Bush has little support for his vision and execution of the war outside stalwarts of the Republican Party. Noriega's chance at winning his race for the Senate depends on cultivating widespread disgust with this administration, even in the GOP bastion of Texas, and convincing voters that Cornyn, in the interest of his own survival, has careened even further than Bush toward extremism and bile.

On Capitol Hill, Cornyn has won (or been awarded) committee assignments on armed services, the budget, ethics, and the judiciary. Those forums offer a wealth of free exposure on national television. As Bush's partisan, he has argued like some magisterial, lantern-jawed prelate in the Inquisition. On his home turf, he hasn't projected the stature of Kay Bailey Hutchison, much less a Lyndon Johnson or Ralph Yarborough. His negatives are high for an incumbent, his name recognition low. In acknowledgment of the fast-approaching day when this presidency is history, Cornyn has lately broken not only with Bush, but with his Senate mentor John McCain by seizing on the issue that ultraconservative Republicans believe can turn back the tide begun by the 2006 elections—resentment and fear of illegal Mexican immigrants. The nativism is a strategy of short-term gain that will come back to haunt the Republican Party when a majority of Texans are of Latino heritage. For now, Cornyn heads into his race with nightly snarls of agreement from pundits like Pat Buchanan and Lou Dobbs, and a campaign war chest of $6.6 million provided by a who's who of corporate interests. And white males have a history of being the voters most inclined to participate in Texas general elections.

Noriega and son, Ricky Jr.

As Noriega worked the room of La Margarita Restaurant that noontime in September, his fundraising total since joining the race three months earlier had reached only $531,000. He could not be certain he would even get the chance to oppose Cornyn in the 2008 election. First he had to overcome an amiable San Antonio trial lawyer named Mikal Watts, who had put $7.5 million of his own money into a Democratic primary race and had raised over a million more from donors. For the San Antonio fundraiser, Noriega's team had circulated invitations with an A-list of local Democratic sponsors—chief among them Henry and Mary Alice Cisneros. "This is a very impressive list," noted a crusty partisan who asked a longtime friend seated at our table if she would pass on a crumpled pair of $100 bills to the candidate. "But they're not here."

I was acquainted with the woman who'd been asked to pass on her friend's $200. She had been at the forefront of the city's progressive battles for many years. I poked a chip at salsa and mildly asked her what she thought of the San Antonio lawyer in the race. Given her knowledge of politics and its players, her reply mystified me. "I don't know anybody who'd ever heard of him."

The Democrats who were curious about Noriega had taken seats in a crescent around the back of the room. Carla Vela, who chairs the Bexar County Democratic Party, stood and complimented Noriega but stressed that their position in the primary had to be firmly neutral. After the introductions, Noriega quit the podium and microphone because the distance between himself and his audience would have been a fair throw to first base for the shortstop he once was at Alvin Community College. The National Guard battalion that Noriega commands is headquartered in San Antonio; a number of members had come downtown in support. Noriega began, "We live in the most wonderful nation in the history of the Earth." A few people clapped, doing no damage to their hands.

Noriega said he wanted to share the story of a woman who in 1916 was an economic refugee of Mexico. "She crossed through Eagle Pass, Texas, and found her way with her son to Houston. Her son died, and she raised her grandchildren. One of her grandchildren went off to the Army, joined the 82nd Airborne. He came back to Houston and fell in love with a girl from Magnolia Park. They married and had three children. Neither of the parents graduated from high school, but they dedicated their lives to those three children, and all three of them graduated from college. The middle child went off to the East Coast and got a master's degree at Harvard. He also followed his father's footsteps into military service. He enlisted as a private, and over the years he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. And he has the opportunity to stand before you today and say that he is a candidate for the United States Senate."

Just then, a loud cell phone went off at the table of the Bexar County Democrats. Vela announced "an emergency at the office," they all clambered to their feet, and in odd concert they bolted for the stairs. "Leave a check at the door," Noriega called after them, laughing gamely.

Lurching back on message, he introduced a Mexican-American firefighter in the audience and said they'd been sharing memories. The man is a first sergeant in the battalion Noriega commands. In 2005 they were training Afghan soldiers outside Kabul, and because of that country's long war against the Soviet Union, those austere plains are some of the most heavily mined terrain on Earth. One day some soldiers who lived in the next tent over from Noriega's were scouting for new training sites and set off one of those old Russian mines. Noriega had been in telephone or e-mail contact with his wife almost daily, but combat fatalities impose on their units a 72-hour blackout of all communication back home, so the victims' next of kin can be properly notified. Melissa Noriega, who served in her husband's legislative seat while he was overseas and is now a popular Houston City Council member, saw the crawl of newsprint across the CNN screen that four American soldiers had been killed on a training mission outside Kabul. She knew it had to be her husband's battalion.

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Exclusive Interview: U.S. Senate Candidate Rick Noriega on the Issues

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

By Chuck Dent
Southwest Texas LIVE!

Houston Democrat Rick Noriega formally filed to challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn last Monday, calling his Republican rival an "obstructionist" on immigration and a political follower on the war in Iraq.

Noriega was raised in Houston, Texas. He graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in 1976 and attended Alvin Junior College on a Rusk athletic scholarship. It was during these formative years that he learned to work hard to get far in life.

In 1984, Noriega completed his undergraduate education with the help of an ROTC scholarship at the University of Houston, receiving his commission in the United States Army. He went on to earn a Master's Degree in Public Administration in 1990 at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he was an editor of the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy.

Noriega felt compelled to answer the call and serve in the U.S. Army in the wake of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. He was an airborne school and service commander of the 143rd Infantry Detachment (Long-Range Surveillance), an aide to Brigadier General David Heuer, and aide-de-camp to General Samuel Turk, Adjutant General of the Texas Army National Guard.

But Noriega's service in the Army did not end there. He became a Lieutenant Colonel in the Texas Army National Guard, and served as deputy garrison commander of the KMTC training facility in Kabul, Afghanistan after 9/11. Noriega was deployed in Afghanistan for a total of 14 months until August 2005, and he was also the Laredo Border Sector Commander in Operation Jump Start during the summer of 2006.

Upon his return from Afghanistan, Noriega was tapped by Houston Mayor Bill White as Incident Commander of Houston's Hurricane Katrina relief efforts at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. His leadership with the military, as well as his record in community service, was crucial as the GRB was transformed into a virtual city that cared for nearly 30,000 evacuees, and was then dismantled in the course of less than a month. At the center, Rick coordinated medical, employment, travel, housing and food services for more than 2,000 evacuees living on-site.

Noriega was here in Del Rio last week, one day after declaring his candidacy. He chaired the Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC) of the Texas House of Representatives Texas Border Security Task Force assembled in the Del Rio city council chamber to hear invited testimony from local elected officials from House Districts 74 and 80 regarding their views on current border security.

"Del Rio and the surrounding area are an important part of the Texas -- Mexico Border, but many policymakers, particularly bureaucrats in Washington, never bother to visit. Our goal is to hear first hand the security concerns of Del Rioans and others living in this unique part of the Southwest Texas Border," State Representative Pete Gallego, MALC Chairman said in a prepared statement.

We interviewed Noriega in Southwest Texas LIVE! offices just after the MALC meeting adjourned on Tuesday, December 4.

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Noriega camp's poll boosts Senate hope

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

By R.G. Ratcliffe
Houston Chronicle

AUSTIN — A new poll conducted for the campaign of Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Rick Noriega indicates incumbent Republican John Cornyn's re-election is neither guaranteed nor can it be helped by President Bush.

Cornyn's campaign declined to respond to the poll.

But Republican Party of Texas spokesman Hans Klingler said what the survey does not capture is the opinion of Texans when they compare Cornyn's conservative record to "liberal" votes Noriega has cast as a state legislator from Houston.

"Once his (Noriega's) message gets out statewide, it's good for Cornyn," Klingler said.

The survey by Lake Research of 500 Texans likely to vote in next year's general election found 41 percent disapproved of the job Cornyn has done in the Senate, while 36 percent rate Cornyn as excellent or good.

But only 31 percent of those surveyed said they definitely would vote for Cornyn's re-election. More than half, 53 percent, said they would consider someone else for the Senate. The margin of error for the poll, conducted Nov. 13-18, was 4.4 percentage points.

Cornyn, whose first-term tenure has been marked by his open support for the Bush administration, also may be hampered by his ties to the president.

The Lake poll found 53 percent of Texans disapproved of Bush's performance in office, with 44 percent having a favorable view. That is consistent with a Survey USA poll conducted in June that found Bush was rated poorly by 57 percent of the Texans surveyed.

Pollster Celinda Lake, in a memo written for Noriega's campaign, also noted that a Texas Lyceum poll released in June showed 62 percent of Texans believe the nation is on the wrong track.

"In sum, Senator Cornyn has a weak public profile that is vulnerable to further negative definition," Lake wrote. "He has a small base of political support, and he cannot count on help from a weakened president."

Klingler said Bush's numbers should be improving over the next year because he is not running for re-election, the surge of troops appears to be working in Iraq and the president is fighting Democrats over federal spending. Klingler said the Republicans will have a new political posture.

"That he (Bush) is not on the ballot, Republicans will be looking for other standard-bearers, and John Cornyn is one of them," Klingler said.

Noriega consultant James Aldrete said the campaign commissioned the poll to show donors that Cornyn is vulnerable.

"Clearly, part of it is to show donors the volatility of the race," Aldrete said. "Right now, people might not be firmly with Rick, but they are firmly in the belief that we're on the wrong track."

When Noriega filed for Senate last week, he admitted that he did not have large statewide name identification.

Aldrete said that Cornyn should be bothered by the fact that 38 percent of the voters surveyed have either never heard of Cornyn or don't know enough about him to have an opinion of him.

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Texas: Guard Officer Running for Senate

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

By The Associated Press
New York Times

Rick Noriega, a five-term Democratic state lawmaker, formally began his bid to unseat Senator John Cornyn, making it clear that he would use his stature as a National Guard officer to criticize the Iraq war. "We are in an occupation of a country currently," Mr. Noriega said. "The American people are tired of being misled and misinformed." Mr. Noriega, a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army National Guard, spent 14 months in Afghanistan.

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Noriega files for senator

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

By Wayne Slater
The Dallas Morning News

Legislator challenges incumbent Cornyn on immigration, Iraq

AUSTIN -- Houston Democrat Rick Noriega formally filed to challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn on Monday, calling his Republican rival an "obstructionist" on immigration and a political follower on the war in Iraq.

Mr. Noriega, who served in the military in Afghanistan, described Iraq as an "occupation," not a war. He called for withdrawal of troops.

"America wins wars. We are in an occupation," he said. "The American people are tired of being misled and misinformed, and not one more drop of blood of one of my brethren is going to bring a political resolution in that region."

The five-term state representative from Houston acknowledged that defeating Mr. Cornyn will be difficult. Mr. Cornyn is better known statewide and has a sizable financial advantage.

As of last month, Mr. Noriega's campaign had $510,000 in the bank. Mr. Cornyn's campaign reported $6.6 million.

But the Noriega campaign hopes to tap an anti-incumbency mood and voter discontent with the Bush administration. He accused Mr. Cornyn of voting against spending on veterans programs and on children's health care while pretending at news conferences to support such programs.

He accused Mr. Cornyn of pandering to the ideological extremes of his party by refusing to support President Bush's proposal for immigration reform.

"I hope it won't be a scapegoat issue in this election cycle to evoke emotion, intolerance and hatred," he said.

"It's time to challenge the politics of Karl Rove in the state of Texas, their game-plan to divide us as Texans and as Americans," said Mr. Noriega. "Our mission must be to unite our state and our country."

Mr. Cornyn's campaign had no comment. The Republican, who won the Senate seat in 2002, will officially file for re-election within the month, according to an aide.

Mr. Noriega will be challenged in the Democratic primary by Corpus Christi teacher Ray McMurrey.

A lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army National Guard who spent 14 months in Afghanistan, Mr. Noriega said he supports firm timetables for withdrawing troops from Iraq. He said the conflict requires a political, not a military, solution.

He said Mr. Cornyn has not adequately supported funding for veterans and their families.

"Someone who has not walked the walk before cannot, in good conscience, understand what that does to Texas families," he said.

Mr. Noriega's campaign had originally planned to get on the ballot with 5,000 voter signatures, but decided to pay the $5,000 filing fee. He said it was important to officially get started as quickly as possible.

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Noriega makes run for U.S. Senate official

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Liz Austin Peterson
Associated Press Writer
Houston Chronicle

HOUSTON -- Democrat Rick Noriega, a five-term state lawmaker and National Guard officer who served more than a year in Afghanistan, formally kicked off his campaign to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn on Monday.

Noriega met with dozens of supporters at a breakfast in Houston, then filed his candidacy papers at the Texas Democratic Party's headquarters in Austin on the first day candidates could begin entering the March party primaries.

Congressional and judicial candidates filed candidate paperwork early in the day at the Republican Party state office. Cornyn planned to file his another day during the monthlong filing period, his campaign said.

Ray McMurrey, a Corpus Christi teacher, announced last month that he plans to challenge Noriega for the Democratic nomination.

Noriega is a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army National Guard who spent 14 months in Afghanistan. He supports ending the war in Iraq and setting firm timetables for withdrawing troops.

He also said he wants to provide veterans and their families with better medical care and make health insurance and higher education more affordable.

In Austin, Noriega said the "mismanaged" war in Iraq will be a leading campaign issue.

"America wins wars. We are in an occupation of a country currently," Noriega said.

As he mingled among supporters munching on Mexican pastries and scrambled eggs, Noriega acknowledged it won't be easy to defeat the state's junior senator. As of last month, Noriega had just $510,000 in the bank, while Cornyn has about $6.6 million.

But Noriega said regular Texans are more concerned about their own bank accounts.

"We no longer need someone who represents the interests of Washington but represents the interests of 23 million Texans," Noriega said, speaking at a banquet hall in the working-class neighborhood where he grew up.

Democratic precinct chairman David Robinson said he came to Monday's breakfast because he admires Noriega's military service and the years he has spent in the Texas Legislature.

The retired political science professor said he thinks Noriega could win because Cornyn has aligned himself so closely with the Bush administration, whose popularity has waned in Texas and across the country.

"It's going to take a lot of work, but I think he has a chance to pull it off in November," said Robinson, who used to teach at the University of Houston-Downtown.

Noriega was joined at the breakfast by his elderly parents, his third-grade teacher, his 9-year-old son and his wife, Melissa, a Houston city councilwoman. Several Democratic state lawmakers also came to show their support.

Cornyn, the former attorney general of Texas, was elected to the Senate in 2002. Republicans have held that seat since 1961, when Lyndon B. Johnson resigned to become vice president.

Associated Press political writer Kelley Shannon contributed to this report from Austin.

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Noriega officially files for Democratic U.S. Senate primary run

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

NBC 6 News

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- State Representative Rick Noriega of Houston has formally begun his run for the 2008 Democratic U.S. Senate primary nomination.

The Texas National Guard lieutenant colonel and five-term lawmaker filed his papers with the state Democratic Party today in Austin.

Noriega spent 14 months in Afghanistan and supports ending the war in Iraq and setting firm troop withdrawal timetables.

He also said he wants to provide veterans and their families with better medical care. The legislator also says he wants to make health insurance and higher education more affordable.

Corpus Christi teacher Ray McMurrey has said he plans to challenge Noriega for the Democratic nomination. The winner will face Republican U.S. Senator John Cornyn.

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Noriega meets with local Democrats

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0700

By Lucretia Fernandez, Courier staff
Houston Community Newspapers Online

Rallying support for his U.S. Senate campaign, state Rep. Rick Noriega, D-Houston, told Montgomery County Democrats he is as committed to them as to the soldiers he commands in the Texas Army National Guard.

Noriega is currently the sole contender in the race for the Senate seat now held by a fellow Houstonian, Republican Sen. John Cornyn.

Speaking at the Lone Star Democratic Club's meeting Thursday at the Montgomery County Library, Noriega stressed problems with the Bush administration's foreign policies. He also criticized Cornyn's devotion to President George Bush's views and decisions.

"As a Texan, I have a duty to say Mr. Cornyn and this administration, 'You are wrong,'" Noriega said. Noriega, a lieutenant colonel, was deployed to Afghanistan for 14 months during his third of five terms in the Texas House. He commands 600 soldiers, who have recently returned from the Middle East and Bosnia.

According to Noriega, the U.S. should begin pulling out troops, but given the current situation, he said, the transition must be gradual. He supports the appropriations bill because soldiers need "beans and bullets," but said if he was in Washington, he'd be tying benchmarks to the bill.

"The way we get out of there requires changes in policy," Noriega said.
Noriega also addressed immigration issues, putting emphasis on the need to know "who's here, where they are and what they are doing."

"Having said that, we've got a lot of folks in the shadows, in this underground society," Noriega said. "We've got to have a process to get them out of the shadows and legitimate."
Many of the more than 50 people attending the Lone Star Democratic meeting vocally favored Noriega's ideals and asked how to donate to his campaign.

"Immigration is not our only problem," said James Gibson, of The Woodlands. "I want health care and people back from the war. We have to all participate in this together."
San Antonio attorney Mikal Watts recently dropped out of the race against Noriega for the Democratic nomination and has since voiced his support for Noriega's campaign, Noriega said.
Noriega also said that the Texas Democratic delegation is expected to issue a press release next week unanimously endorsing Noriega, to "clear the field."

For more information about Noriega or his campaign, visit www.ricknoriega.com.

Lucretia Fernandez can be reached at lfernandez@hcnonline.com.

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With road to nomination clear, Noriega looks ahead

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

By John Moritz
Star-Telegram

AUSTIN -- The most eye-catching graphic on Rick Noriega's campaign Web site is a pair of well-worn combat boots that presumably trudged the rugged terrain of Afghanistan in pursuit of the terrorists who attacked America on 9-11.

Noriega, a Democratic state representative from Houston, wore those boots while deployed with his National Guard unit to the war zone two years ago. Now he hopes they can carry him to the U.S. Senate in his race against first-term Republican John Cornyn. For Noriega, a 49-year-old energy company executive, the journey got a little easier last week when his chief rival for the Democratic nomination quit the race because of family concerns.

But even if no other opponent emerges for the March 4 primary, Noriega still has a high hill to climb: Texas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988, when Lloyd Bentsen won his fourth term. Noriega said that after spending a year in Afghanistan and 10 years in the fractious Texas House, he's undaunted by the prospect of a statewide political battle, no matter how bruising it might become.

War experience

"It's time this state had people in Washington, D.C., who have the wartime experience to understand what is going on," said Noriega, a lieutenant colonel in the Guard who supports the U.S. effort in Afghanistan but wants to end the military involvement in Iraq.

Cornyn, who has not served in the military, has been a key Senate ally of President Bush's policies in Iraq. He supported the surge in troops Bush ordered this year and backs the president's plan to withdraw some troops in the coming months. Both he and his campaign aides have said they would not engage in back-and-forths with any Democratic rival until after the primaries.

Even though millionaire trial lawyer Mikal Watts abandoned his plan to seek the Senate nomination, Noriega said he will continue to campaign as if he'll face a contested primary next year. He remains largely unknown outside Houston, but since entering the race last summer, Noriega has gained endorsements from dozens of his Democratic colleagues in the Legislature and from such statewide figures as former Gov. Dolph Briscoe, former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby and Henry Cisneros, the ex-San Antonio mayor and ex-Cabinet secretary.

"He is a fundamentally decent man who has the right head and the right heart to represent this state in the Senate," said Democratic state Rep. Lon Burnam of Fort Worth, one of the Legislature's most liberal members. "I'm 100 percent behind him, even though I did confide to his wife that I think he's crazy for doing this."

Burnam was quick to clarify that he wasn't suggesting that Noriega is delusional for thinking he can win. What's nuts, Burnam said, is the effort and expense required to compete in a state like Texas.

"He's going to have to spend a lot of time away from home, and he's going to have to raise an awful lot of money," said Burnam, who has known Noriega for more than a decade.

Noriega, a father of two, said he's been facing and meeting challenges all his life. He enlisted in the military in 1979 as a private after the taking of the American hostages in Iran inspired him to serve his country. Five years later, looking to complete his college education, he enrolled in ROTC at the University of Houston.

That set him on his course to become an officer in the National Guard and to pursue his civilian career, first as a teacher and then as energy company executive after earning a master's at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. He unsuccessfully ran for the state House in 1992, then ran again after the candidate who had beaten him decided to give up politics.

"I've always had a very strong desire to be involved in public service, whether it's with the Guard serving in Afghanistan or along the Texas-Mexico border, or in the Texas Legislature," he said.

Noriega's accomplishments in Austin include bills that increased benefits for custodial grandparents, removed the statute of limitations for prosecution of fatal hit-and-run accidents and required bilingual notices to residents living near convicted sex offenders. He said his most far-reaching legislative accomplishment was his sponsorship of the 2001 bill that made Texas the first state to provide in-state tuition rates and financial assistance for qualifying immigrant children.

'Full battle rattle'

But Noriega appears most at ease when he talks about his National Guard service. When his unit was sent to Afghanistan in 2004, he held the rank of major and he was in charge of training Afghan troops needed to help the U.S. military track down terrorists in the region. By the time the deployment ended a year later, he had been promoted to lieutenant colonel and was the Guard unit's garrison commander.

"Every day we were there, we were in full battle rattle [combat gear] and anticipating enemy action," Noriega said. "I know what it's like for troops who are stationed far from home for months and years at a time."

The deployment forced him to miss the 2005 legislative session. His wife, Melissa, took his place in Austin. In July, she was elected to the Houston City Council.

Not long after returning from Afghanistan, Noriega was tapped by Houston Mayor Bill White to coordinate efforts to shelter evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. And his Guard unit was assigned to assist law enforcement activities along the Rio Grande.

Noriega said he hopes to take a get-things-done attitude with him to Washington.

"We need a change, and we need new leadership that has walked the walk, whether we're talking about the war or border issues or working in a bipartisan way," he said.

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