Yesterday evening, I sent the following letter to Rep. John Davis of House District 129, in my official capacity as GOP Precinct Chair for Harris County Precinct 333. After much consideration, I have decided to post the letter here, in the hope of encouraging other Republicans to contact Davis and encourage him to withdraw from the race. It is my belief that the people of District 129 and the State of Texas deserve better in the Texas Legislature.

Dear Rep. Davis:

This is a hard email to write, especially at this time of the year. Unfortunately, the filing deadline make this the appropriate time for me to say these things to you, despite the proximity to the holidays.

I have talked with a number of my fellow Republicans, both in my precinct and outside of it. Some are grassroots leaders, some are long-time activists, and others are simply voters with no other involvement in the political process. As I have spoken with them, I have heard several common themes run through their comments on your candidacy for reelection. These can be summarized as follows:

1. "I like John, but I'm not impressed with how he represents the district."
2. "John really doesn't present himself well in public settings -- I'm worried that will hurt him this year."
3. "I can't think of a significant accomplishment of his that has benefited our area."
4. "Constituent services are really slow."

As you can see, the image problem is big. Still, I think you could overcome these problems were it not for the point that was touched upon by every single person with whom I spoke.

"John has shown some really poor judgment in how he handles his campaign money and by casting votes for other legislators. He appears corrupt and sleazy, even if there is a reasonable explanation for everything."

Frankly, I do not believe you can overcome that perception among our own primary voters. Furthermore, I believe that this is a problem that will be exploited by the Democrats in the fall if you do survive the primary, and that you are likely to be defeated in November as a result. As such, I find myself unable to support or endorse your candidacy for reelection.

This morning I had a long talk with one my fellow worshipers following the service. This wonderful lady, a long-time Republican who has served as a precinct chair, RWC officer, and campaign volunteer for your campaign, looked me in the eye and said something that touched my heart quite deeply.

"I've known John and his wife for years, and am very fond of them both. As things stand, I just can't support him this time around. Unfortunately, this is going to be a very ugly campaign, and I would hate to see him put Jayne and the boys through it. Please tell him that he needs to drop out of this race for their sake, and for the sake of the people of the district. We just don't need things to be like this."

I have to say that she is right. I believe the best course of action for you, your family, and your constituents is for you to step aside and allow a someone else to be the GOP standard-bearer this November. I urge you to immediately withdraw as a candidate for reelection in House District 129.

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