Angela Hunt
It’s not every day that one candidate in a race criticizes a second candidate for attacking a third candidate. But that’s exactly what happened tonight in the District 14 Dallas City Council race, when challenger Vernon Franko sent out a press release criticizing fellow challenger James Nowlin for criticizing incumbent Angela Hunt.
Franko’s press release comes in response to an email sent out by Nowlin’s campaign on Saturday night touting his fundraising lead in the race. The headline of Nowlin’s email read, “Nowlin surges ahead, Hunt a celebrity not a servant.”
“The incumbent is more focused on being a celebrity than a servant and District 14 has taken notice,” Nowlin’s email stated. “Ms. Hunt tried to run for Mayor and failed at that. Now, she is using the 14th District as her backup political plan and that’s unfair to our great city and our district.”
The Nowlin email went on to criticize Hunt, whom it called “entrenched,” for voting in favor of a tax increase. The email also alleged that Hunt is ineffective because others on the council are “openly hostile” to her ideas.
“District 14 lags in consensus-building and suffers for Hunt’s arrogance,” the Nowlin email said.
And apparently that upset Franko, who sent out a press release tonight under the headline, “City Council Candidate Vernon Franko Condemns Email Attack Ad by Candidate James Nowlin as Embarrassing and Immature.”
”This is one of the most despicable things I have ever seen coming from a candidate,” Franko said in the press release. “It demonstrates an absence of integrity and a lack of respect for the very office he hopes to occupy. Councilwoman Hunt has proven an honorable, tireless representative of District 14 and these kinds of desperately vicious attacks on her character are totally unfounded. There are four of us running to represent the citizens of District 14 in the City of Dallas. It is a position of great responsibility and importance. Calling another candidate or elected official a name that has no bearing on the office or the person is not only unethical, it’s also just immature.”
“In our schools today, we teach our children that calling other children names is wrong. Maybe we need to educate our adults as well.” Franko said. “There is a difference between the candidates running for Dallas City Council. I hope the voters will ignore juvenile ranting and look at the issues to make an informed choice.”
And what does Hunt have to say about all this? Well, the only thing that arrived in our Inbox today from the incumbent is this update on a proposed task force on gas drilling.
We wonder if the fourth candidate in the race, Brian Oley, will send out a press release criticizing Franko for criticizing Nowlin for criticizing Hunt.
WTF? Thats all I’m going to say.
As a Angela supporter, I have defended James on all the callous name calling on this site of him. I have pleaded for people here to have tack and the best candidate will win. I can no longer defend James. As he has shown his true colors, the ones that I have tried to hide in the closet. Because I wanted people to vote for the most qualified candidate. Thank you Vern, well done.
Seems like a pretty sleazy move by Nowlin; I predict he will have a long and successful career in politics and law…
Who is Franko, and why is he running?
I’m not sure what this says to me… First impression is that Nowlin’s campaign attacks are SO repugnant that even the other challenger’s in the race just can’t let them slide.
MW – here’s an article about Franko: https://dallasvoice.com/franko-running-district-14-1063541.html
I honestly find Mr. Nowlin’s actions and words in poor taste. Unlike many, I am not going to support him just because he is gay. Angela has proven herself to be a leader and has always been extremely helpful to me even prior to moving into her district when my Council member wouldn’t help. I do have to give kudos to Mr. Franko for backing his opponents.
Franko ? Who is he / she and why are they running for District 14? Amazing how a “no name” is running for office. Let’s look at the facts. According to the City Secretary’s Office for the City of Dallas, Angela Hunt has been late or absent from 80% of the City Council Meetings….and Franko stated…” Councilwoman Hunt has proven an honorable, tireless representative of District 14″ Really, how many of you can be late to work or not show up for work 80% of the time and still get paid & not be fired? And Hunt wants to be paid more money…Yes, she thinks that she is due a pay raise…for what ? Ask your friends how many times they have contact Hunt’s office and not recieved a return call or there concern has never been addressed? I will agree that Hunt has been working hard on increasing the number of pot holes on Lemmon Avenue. Wake up people….it’s time to dump Hunt.
Yesterday the Dallas Observer UnFair Park ran a story about the vast amount of money Nowlin has been given from outside the state of Texas while bragging that he has more bucks than Hunt.
https://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/04/nearly_one-third_of_james_nowl.php
Not a mention of it on Dallas Voice. Why? This story seemed for more relevant than the twisted route you took to get Mr. Nowlin’s very negative comments about Hunt in your blog. The someone said something about someone who said something that said something while ignoring facts and figures seems disadvantageous to your readers.
Promoting someone just because he is gay could have long term negative effects on future qualified candidate that happen to be gay. I am all for Mr. Nowlin getting some political experience but not at the expense of bashing a longtime friend and supporter.
This is my opinion and nothing more.
Hunt has handled all this with the grace of a Michelle Obama.
@ Steven Graves. Hello Steven. I’m quite surprised you don’t remember me. You and I first met at the old Village Station in early 1998 when we were introduced by Dean Spurrier, a mutual acquaintance. In fact, we have met in person at least 3 times and I have spoken to you almost a dozen times over the phone between 1998 and the year 2002 when my office referred a number of clients to you.
Is this the same Steven Graves….the insurance agent?
@ MW. I am a 33 year resident of Dallas with over 25 of those years in District 14. I am a small business owner and Insurance Agent by trade. Although I have the greatest respect for Mrs. Hunt and for her work in improving our neighborhoods, I have some differing opinions on many issues as they relate to our economy and our current fiscal crisis. You may not ever heard of me before as I have never sought public accolade for my personal accomplishments.
I am running for this office because I love the City of Dallas. I’m running because my taxes are too high. I’m running for the woman who recently committed suicide on the street behind me after 2 years of unemployment. I’m running for the numerous people who walk into my office every month and tell me they have lost their job due to downsizing. I’m running because I think District 14 can be instrumental in leading our city back onto a path of prosperity.
I welcome you to visit my campaign web site http://www.vernonfranko.com and visit the about page to learn more about me personally and the Issues page to determine my perspective on some of the problems we are facing together.
This newspaper like it’s ally, The Morning News are really based newspapers. James is just being that guy that wants all the money he can get and would care less about what happens. I think Angela Hunt would get my vote if I lived in here district.
Nowlin has shown his true colors and true character. He is hypocritical and self-serving – which is ironic since he calls Angela Hunt self-serving. He used Angela to get an appointment to a city board where he served briefly so that he could have one TINY thing on his very EMPTY resume’. He’s wants to hold a political office at all costs, and resorting to the negative name-calling that his campain has been doing is just pathetic. He’s shooting himself in the foot because there are many folks who will now NEVER support him for future runs for office, which he no doubt will be considering after he loses this one.
Check into some facts about him renting an apartment so he could “live” in the district that he did not really live in when he had his eyes on running for Terri Hodges state representative seat – that’s some good morals for you!
Ahhh TM the closet I speak of is open. It is AMAZING all the positive reaction from the Hunt side that is coming out, or people who are put off on the Nowlin side. And I have heard from people who supported James before this and have switched because of this BS. Yes Lemmon Ave gets a new pothole everyday. Angela’s fault? No I blame the toll road vote and the PC pipe bridge to nowhere for that. 80% late or missed meetings? I’ve never had a 1st new born baby. Is that a excuse? No. Would I be fired? Probably. But what are the records of others on the council? Is it the culture there?
I was not too excited about the wording of the press release, but alas, all campaigns might get a little too excited. I think the message is clear, though. Where is the leadership from Hunt? Many in the LGBT community say she is wonderful (and I do think that she personally believes in and supports LGBT equality), but where is the record of effectiveness? Where is the leadership? For those who have said she has been so wonderful to the community, please name one thing that she has carried to the finish line and been able to make happen by building consensus amount the other 13 council members and Mayor (a very weak mayor based on our form of government)? That has not happened. @Shannon, the records are easily accesible; her attendance is the worst on the council. Her major projects (Ilike this fracking word he keep hearing about) have no relevance on District 14. Yes, I think Angela is a wonderful woman who personally supports the LGBT community, but is she the candidate that can build a strong enough consensus to actually make things happen and get support, and attend enough meetings to understand the public concerns? Questionable. Yes, emails can be worded better, but focusing on the facts, we need a stronger voice. When you want someone standing by your side fighting for you, do you want someone with the same thing to lose as you, or do you want the boy who crys wolf every time vote is taken?
I had been on Mr Nowlin’s email list just to see how he was doing, but I removed myself after that email. Councilmember Hunt’s record speaks for itself indeed. She is the lone voice of a reason on a Council who can not think for itself, but rather votes Aye on every issue that comes across its desk, whether it bankrupts the city or destroys its health. As for what Nowlin said, he does have the right to question his opponent’s record as he views it.
Until recently, I was quietly supportive of Angela based on her record. While I perceived Nowlin to be something of an opportunist shopping around for an office to get himself elected into, I didn’t really have a very negative opinion of him until he started all of these childish attacks. He could have run a clean, professional campaign based on issues; instead, he has resorted to name calling and false smears. Those are signs of a deeply flawed character, a self-obsessed and petty person. Now, I’m with those who will NEVER support him for anything after he loses this election.
I think fracking is very important issue to bring up. It will affect our “clean” air and our drinking water could be contaminated with cancerous fluids from the process.
@Paul in D14…self-obsessed and petty? I’ve never heard of a gay man described that way 🙂 Just kidding!
I’m always open to listening to new people because change is good. However, once I hear of childish name calling, I am deeply dissapointed in Mr Nowlin. I would like to add that one of his signs was placed in my yard without my permission and also accross the street from me at one of my rental houses that is currently empty. Although both houses sit at corners and I am sure it would have brought much needed publicity for Mr Nowlin, I have removed both signs and replaced them with Angela Hunt signs. Thanks Mr Nowlin for helping me make up my mind.
Steve Graves – re Angela being late for meetings, please go check the minutes of all of the city council meetings – everyone is late. And furthermore, during this time, Angela was pregnant and could well have had critical doctors’ visits. Singling out Angela seems like a desperate move and a cheap campaign tactic. Please give proof of a salary increase request. if Angela wanted to make more money, she would have stayed being an attorney. Reading campaign literature verbatim and regurgitating the facts is not recommended.
i am sticking with the ‘smart’ one who has a proven track record of taking on the powers that be and leading the city to much better decisions. My vote is for Angela Hunt.
Nowlin is a hot mess (and his supporters too). Won’t be able to run for Miss Cedar Springs after this is over with.