Special Election - Ft. Worth Fallout

Mile-high view: The dust and ashes created from the 2020 political inferno are precipitating back down to the ground, settling on Texas’ 6th U.S. Congressional District where tragedy opened opportunity for the fallout to coalesce.

What changed: Ron Wright (R) won a second term in 2020, but passed away shortly after being diagnosed with COVID-19, leaving a vacant seat and prompting the governor to declare a special election.

The players: 23 candidates! Susan Wright (R), Ron’s wife and a long-time member of local GOP leadership; Lydia Bean (D), an academic fresh off a loss to represent Ft. Worth in the Texas Congress; Dan Rodimer (R) fresh to Ft. Worth after a loss in Nevada; Jana Lynn Sanchez (D), a journalist and political organizer who lost to Ron in 2018; and 19 other people, creating a serious crowd.

The place: The 6th looks like someone dropped a big can of paint in south-east Tarrant County (think Ft. Worth and Arlington), and then it spilled outward, drenching the suburbs like Midlothian and flowing past Waxahachie into rural Corsicana and beyond. A can of bright red paint that is, since this district has been conservative since the 80’s. Despite a recent trend turning bluer, this district is safely in the hands of Republicans.  

The stakes: If no one receives more than 50%, which is almost assured, a run-off between the top two candidates—regardless of party—will ensue. That means Democrats could be locked-out of the ballot that matters most.

And then there this: The DCCC (Democatic Congressional Campaign Committee or D-trip) got burned pouring money into Texas races in 2020—not a single district flipped. It is likely they will approach the 6th with skepticism, possibly withholding funds, furthering the likelihood that no Democrat advances.

Which brings us to the inevitable GOP infighting: Going by endorsements, Susan Wright is seen as the safe choice, carrying on her husband’s legacy who, in turn, picked up where his predecessor, Joe Barton, left off—focusing on traditional conservative issues and being as predictable and reliable as an ol’ tractor, but this isn’t the same ol’ GOP. In the party of Trump, culture war issues often get spotlighted over traditional ones. And no one has embraced the brand like Dan Rodimer, a former businessman and WWE wrestler, who might as well be Valedictorian of Trump University, claiming he’ll “fire Nancy Pelosi” and that he’ll protect the southern