Texas AFL-CIO Endorses Chris Bell

Today Democrat Chris Bell announced that he had received the endorsement of the Texas AFL-CIO COPE in the special election for Texas Senate District 17.

The four Central Labor Councils with jurisdiction over Texas Senate District 17—Galveston County AFL-CIO, Harris County AFL-CIO, Sabine Area Central Labor Council and Tideland Central Labor Council—are each supporting Bell. Under a standing resolution approved by the Texas AFL-CIO Committee on Public Education, that gives Bell the endorsement of the entire Texas AFL-CIO COPE as well.

"I am running for the state senate because it is a golden opportunity to make progress toward the goals we all care about: public schools, access to health care, and ethics reform," said Chris Bell. "Having the support of the Texas AFL-CIO is going to go a long way toward bringing my brand of reform to the Texas Senate. I've always enjoyed their support in the past and am extremely proud to have their backing in this campaign."

Bell would add one more Democratic vote to the Texas Senate, where 11 votes are needed to block destructive and divisive legislation from reaching the floor. Currently, Democrats have only 11 votes, and adding one more vote would increase their strength in stopping private school vouchers, health care privatization, and boondoggles such as the Trans-Texas Corridor.

Chris Bell was an at-large Houston City Council Member from 1997 till 2002, a Houston mayoral candidate in 2001, and in the U.S. Congress in 2003-04 when he lost re-election thanks to a politically motivated redistricting process led by former Rep. Tom DeLay. In 2006, Bell was the Democratic nominee for Texas Governor. An attorney, he lives in southwest Houston with his wife Alison Ayres Bell, and his two sons, Atlee and Connally.

The special election to be held on Election Day, November 4th will fill the vacancy created by Sen. Kyle Janek’s resignation. A runoff will follow if no candidate in the special election gets a majority.