Novel campaign tactics in District 10

Contributing to the rush of last-minute creative campaigning, District 10 candidate Robert Thomas recently sent out a letter to supporters of opponent Mandy Dealey. In the letter obtained by the Austin Monitor dated Oct. 29, Thomas writes, “Your contribution was to Mandy Dealey. My name is Robert Thomas, one of the candidates she is running against. I am writing to you because Mandy is using your money to run a vicious smear campaign against me. She is unfairly and wrongly misleading people, and maligning me.” The smear, Thomas’ three-page letter goes on to explain, is that he is a member of the Tea Party. He clarifies that he is not. In the letter, Thomas goes on to acknowledge that he may not be the candidate for Dealey supporters, saying, “This letter is not about trying to get you to vote for me, and there is a good chance I am not the candidate for you, but it is to set the record straight.” Thomas goes on to list the facts of the election, and concludes by asking contributors to consider their part in the election, and urges them to make their own decision.