HD-47: Valinda Bolton, the ‘solutions' candidate

State Rep. Valinda Bolton likes to talk about solutions. The freshman Democrat from Oak Hill mentioned how she was working to find solutions to problems repeatedly during her interview with PolitickerTX.com.

Bolton said she has been finding solutions to problems by heading domestic violence organizations, winning a previously Republican-held seat in 2006, and passing six bills in her first term as House District 47's representative. That last feat may have been one reason the Legislative Study Group named Bolton Freshman of the Year in 2007.

In her last campaign she said she promised to be a bridge-builder who was focused on solving problems by bringing people together. Bolton said she accomplished that throughout her first term, and it's still what drives her campaign.

"I have the proven track record of being able to work with a whole cross section of the community, to work collaboratively to come up with solutions," she said.

Bolton said she has made constituent services a priority. She pointed to a swath of endorsements from business, education, and law enforcement groups to show the breadth of her support across the community.

Bolton's opponent is Donna Keel, a government auditor, Spicewood Republican, and sister-in-law of Bolton's predecessor, state Rep. Terry Keel (R-Austin). House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) appointed Terry Keel as House parliamentarian during a heated power struggle to remove Craddick as speaker.

Bolton said Donna Keel would be too close to Craddick.

"One of the things that you hear from Republican members of the House...is that the Speaker puts incredible pressure on them to vote with his interests, even at the expense of the interest of their districts," Bolton said. "She would be very closely tied with him. I am in a position to independently represent this district and to vote in the best interests of the district." 

Political observers are watching Bolton's district closely and not just because of her opponent's well-known brother-in-law.  It's a battleground district, with fairly equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats. The area has also experienced tremendous growth in the past few years. By Bolton's own admission her district is changing.

"It's phenomenal," she said. "It's a high growth area."

Bolton said the political dynamics have shifted since her last campaign. She remembers how Democrats in certain neighborhoods thought they were the only Democrats around, when her data showed there were, in fact, many more. Bolton called it her "prairie dog" theory.

"You have to poke your head up and kinda look around to the left and the right and realize that you're not alone. There's lots of Democrats. There's lots of Republicans. It wasn't as one sided as perhaps the district was redrawn to be," Bolton observed.

She said Democratic clubs that no one dreamed would ever exist, such as the Circle C Area Democrats, are thriving today.

Bolton said there is an "unprecedented level of excitement" about the elections this year.  She expects enthusiasm for Democratic nominees Barack Obama and Joe Biden will propel voters to the polls, as it did during the March primary when Bolton said lots of newer, unaffiliated voters came out to vote for Democratic candidates.

And, she says, voters are getting the message not to "stop at the top" of the ballot.

"Often times...the farther down the ballot a race is, truly the more impact on your day-to- day existence that it has," Bolton said.

What does she want voters to remember about her when they head into the voting booth?

"I share their concerns. I have demonstrated leadership and an ability to work across the community to tackle tough issues, and that I am assessable and available to them," Bolton said.