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Thursday
March 18, 2010 Since 1922 |
Lampson canvasses in Barrett Station, Crosby
By Keri Mitchell
Baytown Sun Published August 15, 2004 BARRETT STATION — Trading his usual suit for a polo shirt and gray slacks, U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Beaumont, made his way down neighborhood streets Saturday morning in quintessential political campaign fashion — knocking on doors and talking issues.
Some residents offered to put the congressman’s signs in their yards or his bumper stickers on their cars. Others challenged his ideas on what America needed and offered some of their own suggestions.
One man expressed his frustration with the political system and told Lampson he had no intention of voting in the coming November election.
“We need your help. This is a critical political year, ” Lampson said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I really believe people with good hearts can change our country.”
“I’ll think about it,” the man finally conceded, looking like he would rather get back to weed-eating his lawn than continue the conversation.
Barrett Station and Crosby, where Lampson ended his neighborhood rounds, are uncharted territory for the veteran congressman. After almost eight years representing District 9, he is now running for election in newly created District 2, which state legislators formed when they redrew the congressional map last year.
To claim the District 2 seat, Lampson will have to garner more votes than Republican Ted Poe, a former Harris County judge who defeated five other Republicans in the March primary without a runoff.
Saturday was Lampson’s first time to “work the neighborhood,” as he called it, during this campaign season. In the predominantly liberal-leaning neighborhoods of Barrett Station, Lampson found mostly warm receptions. One man offered to place Lampson bumper stickers on each of his five cars.
“As long as he’s a Democrat, I’m going to pull his ticket,” said Joseph Richard, cementing his claim by placing a “Lampson for Congress” sign on his front yard.
A lengthy conversation with another Barrett Station resident started on a sour note but ended on a positive one. The resident’s concern was that Lampson would turn out like other politicians, showing up during campaign season, but never returning.
Lampson felt he succeeded in convincing the man otherwise.
“I’m going to have to teach a lot of folks what I’m like as a representative. This really and truly will not be the last time they see me,” Lampson said. “But they don’t have that track record yet, so that’s the reason I’m here. When I come back the next time they’ll see I’ve kept my word, and hopefully they’ll build confidence in me.”
Some people invited Lampson into their homes. Embrick Edwards did this, and the two spent a few minutes chatting about issues like affirmative action.
“He’s for everything I’m for, and against everything I’m against,” Edwards said. “I like that.”
Edwards praised Lampson for upholding the same Christian values in Congress that the people of Barrett Station hold dear. Just down the road, however, Anthony Minor and Anthony Eagleton spoke with Lampson about a set of Christian values that are most often associated with Republican stances.
When Lampson asked the two men what determines how they vote, Minor replied, “You really want the truth? Morality.” Minor described himself as a staunch Christian who is anti-abortion, anti-gay rights and anti-stem-cell research and said his family was his primary concern.
“Would you pick those issues over education, health care and the economy?” Lampson asked.
Lampson told the men he would rather concentrate on adoption issues than abortion issues. He responded to Minor’s questions about family values by suggesting that the way to help families is to ensure that jobs remain in the United States instead of heading overseas.
Eagleton, who mostly stood back and listened while Minor and Lampson bantered, said he remained “neutral” on whether he would vote for the congressman come November. But many of the issues Lampson presented would benefit the Barrett Station community as a whole, Eagleton said, especially the working class.
“It helps to put a face with the things he stands for,” Eagleton said. “It helped me.”
Crosby was a harder sell, Lampson said. While some neighborhoods in the community strongly support him, others do not, he said. He found it encouraging, however, that only one person hurled an insult at him.
“What I found were people who were interested enough to talk to me,” Lampson said. “I certainly won some votes today, and I feel good about that.”
Getting a feel for people’s interests and giving them a chance to see into his heart was Lampson’s goal Saturday, he said. Between now and the election, Lampson plans to work a different neighborhood every weekend.
Baytown Sun Published August 15, 2004 BARRETT STATION — Trading his usual suit for a polo shirt and gray slacks, U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Beaumont, made his way down neighborhood streets Saturday morning in quintessential political campaign fashion — knocking on doors and talking issues.
Some residents offered to put the congressman’s signs in their yards or his bumper stickers on their cars. Others challenged his ideas on what America needed and offered some of their own suggestions.
One man expressed his frustration with the political system and told Lampson he had no intention of voting in the coming November election.
“We need your help. This is a critical political year, ” Lampson said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I really believe people with good hearts can change our country.”
“I’ll think about it,” the man finally conceded, looking like he would rather get back to weed-eating his lawn than continue the conversation.
Barrett Station and Crosby, where Lampson ended his neighborhood rounds, are uncharted territory for the veteran congressman. After almost eight years representing District 9, he is now running for election in newly created District 2, which state legislators formed when they redrew the congressional map last year.
To claim the District 2 seat, Lampson will have to garner more votes than Republican Ted Poe, a former Harris County judge who defeated five other Republicans in the March primary without a runoff.
Saturday was Lampson’s first time to “work the neighborhood,” as he called it, during this campaign season. In the predominantly liberal-leaning neighborhoods of Barrett Station, Lampson found mostly warm receptions. One man offered to place Lampson bumper stickers on each of his five cars.
“As long as he’s a Democrat, I’m going to pull his ticket,” said Joseph Richard, cementing his claim by placing a “Lampson for Congress” sign on his front yard.
A lengthy conversation with another Barrett Station resident started on a sour note but ended on a positive one. The resident’s concern was that Lampson would turn out like other politicians, showing up during campaign season, but never returning.
Lampson felt he succeeded in convincing the man otherwise.
“I’m going to have to teach a lot of folks what I’m like as a representative. This really and truly will not be the last time they see me,” Lampson said. “But they don’t have that track record yet, so that’s the reason I’m here. When I come back the next time they’ll see I’ve kept my word, and hopefully they’ll build confidence in me.”
Some people invited Lampson into their homes. Embrick Edwards did this, and the two spent a few minutes chatting about issues like affirmative action.
“He’s for everything I’m for, and against everything I’m against,” Edwards said. “I like that.”
Edwards praised Lampson for upholding the same Christian values in Congress that the people of Barrett Station hold dear. Just down the road, however, Anthony Minor and Anthony Eagleton spoke with Lampson about a set of Christian values that are most often associated with Republican stances.
When Lampson asked the two men what determines how they vote, Minor replied, “You really want the truth? Morality.” Minor described himself as a staunch Christian who is anti-abortion, anti-gay rights and anti-stem-cell research and said his family was his primary concern.
“Would you pick those issues over education, health care and the economy?” Lampson asked.
Lampson told the men he would rather concentrate on adoption issues than abortion issues. He responded to Minor’s questions about family values by suggesting that the way to help families is to ensure that jobs remain in the United States instead of heading overseas.
Eagleton, who mostly stood back and listened while Minor and Lampson bantered, said he remained “neutral” on whether he would vote for the congressman come November. But many of the issues Lampson presented would benefit the Barrett Station community as a whole, Eagleton said, especially the working class.
“It helps to put a face with the things he stands for,” Eagleton said. “It helped me.”
Crosby was a harder sell, Lampson said. While some neighborhoods in the community strongly support him, others do not, he said. He found it encouraging, however, that only one person hurled an insult at him.
“What I found were people who were interested enough to talk to me,” Lampson said. “I certainly won some votes today, and I feel good about that.”
Getting a feel for people’s interests and giving them a chance to see into his heart was Lampson’s goal Saturday, he said. Between now and the election, Lampson plans to work a different neighborhood every weekend.