The Statesman makes the right call in endorsing Mary Beth Harrell for Congress.
U.S. House District 31Republican incumbent John Carter, a former Williamson County district judge, is running for a third term from this district that meanders from Williamson, Bell and Coryell counties through Milam, Falls, Hamilton and Erath counties.
Carter has stumbled, his gruff and arrogant manner not going down so well. He took hard shots when he held up approval of the Voting Rights Act and argued for English-only ballots. His comments about racism being behind us betray either naivete or denial.
Carter's Democratic opponent is Mary Beth Harrell, a Killeen lawyer, military wife and mother. Carter has refused to debate her, saying she hasn't earned the right to face him. With two sons in the military and one serving with the 4th Infantry Division in Iraq, she has earned that right.
Harrell is a moderate Democrat who has good ideas on the Iraq war and health care, and sensible positions on immigration and federal spending. District 31 voters should send a message to Carter about arrogance and insensitivity and elect Harrell.