To be fair, Dan Crenshaw didn’t use the word “lies” – he used the words “mischaracterized” and “deliberately mischaracterizing” – as a candidate must. I am not a candidate. Via Facebook:
October 17, 2018
To the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board,
I am writing you today to discuss your endorsement for CD-2. First, I absolutely respect your decision and harbor no hard feelings. While I am disappointed that you did not endorse my candidacy for the U.S. House, I am not surprised.
I am very surprised, however, that you chose to publicly mischaracterize my stance on family separation at the border. Given the detail with which I have addressed this particular issue, both on social media and in the interview with your board, it was shocking to read your claims that I “vehemently defended” the President’s policy of family separation.
I have always approached this particular issue with a great deal of nuance, I would hope your reporting would do the same. I always begin by stating that I do not support separating families. Most Republicans don’t. And then I explain, in detail, why this is happening and what we need to do to stop it. I called for the need to pass legislation that would override the Flores Settlement of 1997, and therefore enforce our laws while also keeping families together. This is exactly how I explained it while meeting with your editorial board. It is also how I have explained it on Facebook Live videos, which you are free to research.
The board also likes to point out that my opponent “speaks the language of Houston.” While you don’t define what that means, I am sure you would agree that the language of Houston should begin with honesty. Recently, my opponent – endorsed by your board – began running ads that knowingly lie about my position on social security and protection for pre-existing conditions. I support saving both, which is very clear from the statements I’ve made in the past (check website and social media). I hope that the Houston Chronicle stands up for a “language of Houston” that is characterized by truth and integrity, not partisanship.
I hope to continue to have a good relationship with the Houston Chronicle, but I admit this is off to a rocky start. In the primary, your board derisively referred to me as a “show horse”, and now you are deliberately mischaracterizing my positions in order to make a better argument for your preferred candidate. I think it would be best for the people of Houston if the city’s most prominent newspaper reported honestly about politicians on both sides of the aisle. I hope you will consider correcting this editorial, and attempt to cover my campaign with the same degree of nuance that I give to the issues.
Sincerely,
Dan Crenshaw
Candidate for U.S. House, CD-2
Perhaps now he understands why many Republican candidates refused to seek the Houston Chronicle’s endorsement. Their opinion pages have been shilling for Democratic candidates and for a “blue wave” almost since the day President Trump won the election in 2016. They have been specifically shilling for Dan Crenshaw’s opponent for over a year. Perhaps other Republicans will take note and refuse to let the progressives that comprise the Houston Chronicle editorial board deceive them.
For another example, take a look at their endorsement against Sen. Paul Bettencourt.
Bettencourt’s top agenda item remains a state-imposed cap on property tax revenues for local governments. That plan is vociferously opposed by the Texas Municipal League, the Texas Association of Counties, plenty of moderate Republicans in the state House, County Judge Ed Emmett and this editorial board.
The issue is a breaking point for us, and it should be for voters as well. Bettencourt appears to be putting partisan preferences above local interests. So we can’t endorse him.
Talk about out of touch with voters and siding with political insiders. Property taxes are out of control and while I may disagree with Sen. Bettencourt on the way to fix the problem, it remains a problem that the person the Houston Chronicle endorses has no solution for. Look at how they finally said something positive about the guy:
Although his political experience is limited to serving as president of his homeowners association, Romero demonstrated a nuanced knowledge of state issues that’s rare for a novice.
….
He’s a quick learner and believes he would be the first openly LGBTQ member of the state Senate if elected.
Nice use of the word “nuanced” in place of “doesn’t know jack”. Basically, he’s queer, he’s here, and he isn’t Sen. Paul Bettencourt. Pathetic.
Hopefully, Dan Crenshaw learned a lesson. He’s going to be a great Congressman.
It’s been years since the Chronicle was useful for anything other than lining the bottom of bird cages. The surprise is that Dan Crenshaw expected anything different.
Perhaps because of Dan’s “mischaracterization” of healthcare, or defense, or Trump. Dan is a mischaracterizer par excellence.
Thanks for your informative piece. I appreciate your having dug out Crenshaw’s response.
I suppose every first time conservative candidate needs to learn for themselves how the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board treats them. I did in 1994. The only thing the Houston Chronicle’s Editorial Board wants to hear from a conservative candidate is something they can mischaracterize (lie about) to disparage him/her. Hopefully, Dan Crenshaw has learned this important lesson from his first encounter with the Editorial Board. The only reason a republican candidate should even attend a Editorial Board endorsement meeting is to learn about a opponents true positions on the issues.
The shrinking size of the paper makes it a inadequate source of lining for bird cages.