Rep. Dan Crenshaw, the Houston congressman who skyrocketed to fame in the Republican Party last year, is more concerned about his national image than serving Houston voters, Sima Ladjevardian, one of the Democrats challenging Crenshaw this year, told the Signal.
“He campaigned on the premise of bringing down prescription drug prices, and he just voted against it,” Ladjevardian said of Crenshaw’s vote against the bill passed by House Democrats last month that would allow the government to negotiate cheaper drug prices.
Ladjevardian, a lawyer and former Beto O’Rourke adviser who kicked off her campaign last month with an endorsement from O’Rourke, raised more than $200,000 within a week of announcing her campaign. On the trail, she said one of the most important issues she’s heard from voters is the fact that residents continue to suffer from Hurricane Harvey.
“Within this specific district, there are still people who are out of their houses… [Crenshaw] hasn’t really tried to bring in federal money and help people get back on their feet,” Ladjevardian said.
Last year, Crenshaw was one of four Texas Republicans to vote against a bipartisan bill that authorized the National Flood Insurance Program.
Ladjevardian suggested there was a difference between how Crenshaw presented himself on television and what his record in Congress has been so far. “The image and the reality are completely different,” she said in our interview. “He’s so concerned about his national image. He’s all up with big pharmaceuticals and insurance companies– I don’t think he really cares, I think he views this district as a stepping stone.”
Ladjevardian is officially launching her campaign on January 14 in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood. She is one of three Democratic candidates, including Navy veteran Elisa Cardnell and former contractor Travis Olsen, challenging Crenshaw.
Photo: simafortx.com
Fernando covers Texas politics and government at the Texas Signal. Before joining the Signal, Fernando spent two years at the Houston Chronicle and previously interned at Houston’s NPR station News 88.7. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, and enjoys reading, highlighting things, and arguing on social media. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email at fernando@texassignalarchive.com