The Tyler Morning Telegraph - Radnofsky Stumps In Smith County

Radnofsky Stumps In Smith County

By: ERIN BULLER, Staff Writer
05/25/2006

Barbara Ann Radnofsky, mother of three and a partner in a Houston law firm, decided 2½ years ago to pursue a career in politics. Now, with just six months until the November elections, she is optimistic about her chances against incumbent Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Ms. Radnofsky is challenging Sen. Hutchison for the Senate seat she has occupied since 1993.

"I can do it," she said Thursday afternoon at the Smith County Democratic Party headquarters. "I don't consider myself a fool and I don't do foolhardy things. I'll tell you this - this is do-able. You just gotta believe."

Ms. Radnofsky addressed the issues in her talk before a group of Smith County Democrats. What she lacks, she acknowledged, is funding from the national Democratic Party.

"We need to make people understand that Texas matters, that East Texas counts and that these (senatorial) races count," she said. "I can do this with the grassroots."

Ms. Radnofsky spoke about health care, education and veterans, citing many situations in which Sen. Hutchison acted as a "rubber stamp" for the Bush administration.

Specifically, Ms. Radnofsky spoke about Head Start programs that have been cut nationwide, saying the cutting of these programs is creating more problems for the entire educational system.

"Kay Bailey Hutchison voted against Head Start seven times since 1994. She is nothing more than a rubber stamp for the Bush administration's failed programs," she said. "These kids deserve a chance."

She also addressed health care, saying Sen. Hutchison "has completely failed to advocate in terms of Texans."

The growing problem with veterans and their health care is an issue very close to Ms. Radnofsky's heart, she said, as she is the daughter and granddaughter of veterans.

"We have a lot of retired veterans in East Texas and what has happened in Texas is a shame," she said.

She said there are not enough Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals for the growing number of retired servicemen, even as more veterans arrive home from Iraq and Afghanistan every day.

"I know about the men and women who sacrificed," she said. "My father was shot down over Nazi Germany. I know that I'm here because of the men and women that we've now deserted."

She contends that Sen. Hutchison voted against guaranteed VA funding.

"We have seriously injured men and women who will need long-term care, but they will not get it," she said.

She directed people to her Web site, www.radnofsky.com, for a closer look at the issues she advocates.

"My challenge to (Sen. Hutchison) is that if you support education, change your votes. If you support teachers, change your votes," she stated.

Following her speech, she answered questions, including one about abortion.

"I believe we need to target zero abortion. But how do we approach that? You know how we approach it - by giving women child care and prenatal care and recognize that the difficult decision is between her and her God, and her and her health care provider," she said. "We reduce abortion not by making abortions illegal, because then you have women dying in back alleys. We've got a way to do it, but it will require a comprehensive approach."

She said comprehensive reform is also needed on the issue of immigration.

"We need to view the border as a place to stop only illegal immigrants, not trade. (Sen. Hutchison's) proposals do nothing to solve the problem. You know what she wants to do - build a big fence, and leave the burden of maintaining the fence on the shoulders of the individual states," Ms. Radnofsky said.

She said she disagrees with Sen. Hutchison about workplace violations being the responsibility of local law enforcement, and she said the proposed guest worker program would not work either.

"Her guest worker program will just bring in more people who will overstay their visa. It is not a workable program. What we need is more security at our ports," she said.

Ms. Radnofsky said she is very optimistic about her chances in November because people are tired of the corruption in the highest levels of government.

"I'm feeling very, very good about November. A massive change in attitude has been happening since the hurricanes. Texas realized that corruption was really hurting people," she said. "And then when (I. Lewis "Scooter") Libby was indicted, they realized that in the highest levels of the executive branch, we've got crooks there. People are looking for leadership."

http://www.radnofsky.com/press_release.php?items_id=770