Mohawk
Wording on Gómez Misleading
RECEIVED Mon., March 15, 2010
Dear Editor,
From the use of the phrase "erosion of power" in Amy Smith's March 12 story about the Precinct 4 race [“Precinct 4 Race Saw an 'Erosion of Power,'” News], it would seem like Margaret Gómez had lost her re-election campaign. The notion that Gómez saw a "disintegration" of support in South Central Austin is hyperbolic given the context. Although her opponent received support from The Austin Chronicle, Sierra Club, and Central Austin Democrats, Gómez still only lost the 78704 ZIP code by a mere four percentage points. This included a more than 10 percentage point margin of victory in Precinct 461, where she used to live. It may be more accurate to state that these groups that opposed her saw an "erosion of power" in delivering votes for their preferred candidate. Gómez more than made up for her 78704 losses with huge margins east of I-35 (particularly in the vote-heavy 78745 ZIP code) and in the precinct's rural areas. In 2006, when running against an unknown opponent who raised little money and received no endorsements, Gómez received 57% of the vote. This year, against a well-known former elected official who raised $60,000 and won an impressive list of endorsements, she still managed 53.5%. Gómez clearly lost support among groups (many of whom are based outside of Precinct 4), but given the strength of the opponent, she proved to be remarkably resilient among the one group that actually matters: Precinct 4 voters. This is nothing new, of course. Gómez has a nearly 30-year history of electoral success that is unmatched in Travis County. She is the only local official I can think of who has defeated two different incumbents. How has she done it? The same way she won this year: by outworking her opponent, speaking to voters in every corner of the precinct, and ignoring the conventional wisdom.
From the use of the phrase "erosion of power" in Amy Smith's March 12 story about the Precinct 4 race [“Precinct 4 Race Saw an 'Erosion of Power,'” News], it would seem like Margaret Gómez had lost her re-election campaign. The notion that Gómez saw a "disintegration" of support in South Central Austin is hyperbolic given the context. Although her opponent received support from The Austin Chronicle, Sierra Club, and Central Austin Democrats, Gómez still only lost the 78704 ZIP code by a mere four percentage points. This included a more than 10 percentage point margin of victory in Precinct 461, where she used to live. It may be more accurate to state that these groups that opposed her saw an "erosion of power" in delivering votes for their preferred candidate. Gómez more than made up for her 78704 losses with huge margins east of I-35 (particularly in the vote-heavy 78745 ZIP code) and in the precinct's rural areas. In 2006, when running against an unknown opponent who raised little money and received no endorsements, Gómez received 57% of the vote. This year, against a well-known former elected official who raised $60,000 and won an impressive list of endorsements, she still managed 53.5%. Gómez clearly lost support among groups (many of whom are based outside of Precinct 4), but given the strength of the opponent, she proved to be remarkably resilient among the one group that actually matters: Precinct 4 voters. This is nothing new, of course. Gómez has a nearly 30-year history of electoral success that is unmatched in Travis County. She is the only local official I can think of who has defeated two different incumbents. How has she done it? The same way she won this year: by outworking her opponent, speaking to voters in every corner of the precinct, and ignoring the conventional wisdom.
David Mauro
Consultant to the Margaret Gómez campaign
Consultant to the Margaret Gómez campaign