For the 2012 elections, State Board of Education District 5 has been redrawn to include eleven full counties—Blanco, Caldwell, Comal, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Hays, Kendall, Kerr, Llano, Mason, and San Saba —and portions of two others: northern and eastern Bexar (roughly outside of Interstate 410), and southern and eastern Travis (roughly south of 290/2222 and east of Bee Cave).
Dozens of independent school districts are in District 5, in whole or in part. With a population approaching two million and over half a million children, public education is a vital concern of most residents.
Though Republicans have held the District 5 seat since the 90s, several factors favor the election of a sensible Democrat in 2012, including the extremism of the incumbent, Ken Mercer, who defeated a more moderate Republican six years ago with help from private-school-voucher booster James Leininger.
The district was radically reshaped by the legislature in 2001, when Hays, Caldwell and southern Travis Counties were removed from a long-time Democratic district and added to District 5. These are some of the fastest-growing counties in the State and have been voting increasingly for Democratic candidates. In recent years, several Democrats running statewide have won the support of about 45% of the district’s voters without particularly concentrating on the district.
Rebecca Bell-Metereau is the Democratic candidate best able to rescue the district from Ken Mercer’s extremism. Rebecca is an award-winning professor of English and film who has taught hundreds of future teachers. She’s a mom whose two adult daughters graduated from San Marcos public schools. She also volunteered in the schools and community. Put Rebecca in a roomful of mothers who are themselves concerned about their children’s educations, and you’ll wind up with the majority becoming Rebecca Bell-Metereau supporters regardless of usual party leanings.
Unlike the perennial candidates who run just to have their name on the ballot, Rebecca is dedicated to winning and working hard at it. Help Rebecca get her name out in this vast area,by pledging your support and contacting us for ideas about what you can do to spread the word among your friends, neighbors and co-workers.
