Siegel running for Congress in District 10

Mike Siegel, an assistant city attorney for Austin, has a new hobby. He is one of five Democrats competing in the March 6 primary to run against incumbent U.S. Congress member Michael McCaul in District 10. The district’s pretty safely Republican, but Siegel is doing well and reports that he has gotten an endorsement from just about every Democratic group he has asked. That includes the Austin Environmental Democrats; the Stonewall Democrats of Austin; the Capital Area Progressive Democrats, the Austin Central Labor Council; and the Austin chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. The district stretches from Austin to Houston, and Siegel noted that he had picked up endorsements from Area 5 Democrats, the oldest Democratic club in Texas, as well as the Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, Houston AFSCME and Unite Here Local 23, which represents airport workers. He also said he has support from Council members Greg Casar, Pio Renteria and Delia Garza. He said he will continue to work his day job and campaign at night, during lunch hours and weekends and “I take leave when I have to.” He said if he gets the Democratic nomination he will have to talk to his boss about taking more time off. Siegel has handled some high-profile cases for the city, including the lawsuit against the state over Senate Bill 4, the anti-immigrant legislation passed by the state legislature in 2017.