U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson on Thursday accused Jane Hope Hamilton of using deceptive, Trump-style campaign tactics against state Rep. Jasmine Crockett, whom Johnson has endorsed to replace her in Congress.
“We have not had a campaign that has had this much deception and lies in District 30,” Johnson said during a news conference at the African American Museum in Dallas, which Crockett did not attend.
Hamilton quickly responded that her criticism of Crockett and her rival’s record are based on documented facts.
“Facts don’t lie,” Hamilton said in a news release before Johnson’s news conference. “Voters deserve the truth.”
Johnson appeared at the museum with Dallas minister Frederick Haynes III, the senior pastor at Friendship-West Baptist Church, who also supports Crockett in Tuesday’s Democratic runoff for Congressional District 30.
Johnson and Haynes said they were most disturbed by Hamilton’s criticism of Crockett missing votes in the Texas House last year on a GOP-driven elections bill that Democrats and voting rights advocates say was designed to suppress voter turnout in communities of color. After a contentious battle, the bill was approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Crockett, a freshman lawmaker, was a leader in the Texas Legislature’s resistance to GOP policies and a central figure in the quorum breaks that stalled the bill. She vowed not to return to Austin to participate or vote on it, even after Republicans managed to restore a quorum.
Haynes said it’s outrageous to suggest that Crockett not returning to vote on the bill helped it advance. Republicans have firm control of the Legislature.
“We’re simply saying ‘Come on. Let’s be real,’” Haynes said, describing Hamilton’s attacks as similar to those of former President Donald Trump and the Make America Great Again movement. “No. 1, tell the truth. No. 2, let’s honor the legacy of congresswoman Johnson with a campaign that discusses the real issues.”
Crockett has not agreed to debate Hamilton for the runoff cycle of the campaign.
On Thursday, Hamilton defended her characterization of Crockett’s refusal to participate in the elections bill votes.
“Crockett’s unexcused absence denied her constituents a voice in these negotiations,” the Democrat said in a news release.
“As soon as quorum was restored, Crockett should have voted in line alongside fellow North Texas House Dems, like Rep. Yvonne Davis, Rep. Rhetta Bowers, and Rep. Toni Rose against the bill,” the release said. “House Dems successfully got concessions from the GOP, such as requiring training for poll watchers and allowing poll watchers to be removed from a polling place without warning, if they violate the state penal code.”
Hamilton also blasted Crockett for not denouncing the more than $2.5 million of support she’s received from two cryptocurrency super PACs. And her campaign television ads state Crockett “sold out” the district for $2 million.
Johnson said that’s also a distortion. She countered that super PACs are part of the political process and any of the candidates in the District 30 race would have been happy with the support.
“Many campaigns across the country have been funded by their organization, including the president’s campaign,’ Johnson said. “I just have a feeling that if any other candidate in this race had gotten their support, they would have been very pleased to have it.”
She urged voters to stick with her choice to succeed her in Congress.
“This community deserves integrity and deserves someone that’s committed to the work and not the title,” Johnson said. “Let’s not switch gears now. Let’s hold up the truth and true leadership.”
Early voting is underway in the District 30 runoff and others through Friday. Voters will finish the process of picking the Democratic nominee to replace Johnson in Tuesday’s regular runoff election.
Johnson’s news conference defending Crockett could signal that there’s concern that the race is tightening. Crockett won the March primary with a staggering 48% of the vote. Hamilton finished second with 17%.
“I do think it’s unfair to ignore the lies and deceptions,” Johnson said. “It is not so much who wins the race. It is, are we going to deteriorate ourselves to lies and deceptions to win a race.”
