The primary contest for Travis County Commissioner Pct. 4 heated up last week as Del Valle ISD Trustee Susanna Ledesma-Woody brought attention to incumbent Margaret Gómez‘s largest donor: billionaire Joe Liemandt, who gave Gómez $25,000, Save Austin Now $75,000, and Donald Trump $250,000. Travis County Judge Andy Brown also took $100,000 from Liemandt in December.
“I’m running to fight for the people of Southeast Travis County, not the GOP donor class,” said Ledesma-Woody. “I challenge Commissioner Gómez to return every dollar she has taken from Trump mega-donors and Save Austin Now supporters.” In a tweet, Gómez seemed to suggest that the end justifies the means: “My opponent is once again attacking … my working with one of our county’s biggest financial supporters for housing individuals experiencing homelessness. I authored a $110 million investment in housing … I remain committed to my values.” Ledesma-Woody’s press release came the same day Gómez had reported a cash advantage of $59,225 “despite [Ledesma-Woody] … asking for money in 41 separate Facebook posts.”
In a separate release Jan. 18, Gómez pointed to Ledesma-Woody’s “successful effort to block hazard pay for Del Valle ISD essential school employees,” quoting a fellow trustee as well as Carol Guthrie, business manager of AFSCME Local 1624 – Gómez is endorsed by that union, LIUNA Local 1095, and the Austin Firefighters Association. Ledesma-Woody responded by calling attention on Facebook to Gómez’s 2019 push to increase commissioners’ salaries: “While I serve as a DVISD Trustee, I am serving as a volunteer, meanwhile … Margaret voted to raise her own salary by $43,000 over two years even though her fellow commissioners raised the point that many county workers still don’t make a living wage.”
This article appears in January 28 • 2022.