One of the most senior members of the Texas House says more than one reason led to his decision not to seek reelection.
Democrat Garnet Coleman, who is 60, has represented Houston since 1991. He fell ill in the spring and returned to Houston. Within the week he went to the emergency room. Coleman, who is diabetic, had a life-threatening bacterial infection. "Because of that I wasn't able to go back to the session and it was a complete surprise to me. I went to the emergency room because I wasn't feeling well, and three hours later I didn't have the bottom of my leg."
The House's fifth-most senior member calls this year's session "the worse session I've ever served in in the last 30 years. There could be no session from a policy perspective that's worse than that."
This year's session saw the passage of the nation's strictest abortion law, a tough new voting law and constitutional carry. Coleman says "It's because of the Republican leadership competing against each other as to who can be the most draconian. All across the country. They keep raising the bar and it's all about primary elections."
The last session saw Democrats leave Austin for Washington, DC to stop debate on the voting bill. Coleman could not join them. He had been there as a leader of "Killer D's" exodus in 2003 to Ardmore Oklahoma. "I had been there, but trying to do that in a wheelchair, no. That was not possible and I wasn't healed."
He didn't fear being arrested for not being in Austin and was excused for health reasons.
"This has been a good ride and fulfilling service and I hope to continue to do those types of things. We still need to pass the John Lewis Voting Right Act and we were never going to make that happen from the state of Texas."
He plans to spend more time with his "think and do tank" called the Center for Civic and Public Policy Improvement.
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