A recently released ad from Texas House District 55 incumbent Hugh Shine, R-Temple, implies one of his challengers, ninth generation Texan, wife and mother of four Hillary Hickland is something of a “carpetbagger” akin to another Hillary – Hillary Clinton.
The ad adopts a nativist tone as Shine suggests Hillary Hickland is bringing “New York values” to Bell County, something that didn’t work so well for Ted Cruz with Donald Trump back in 2016.
Shine says Hickland doesn’t understand central Texas. Though realistically, might a 12-month Brooklyn residency and other life experience prior to a return home to raise a family not have given the Texas native perspective of life in and outside Texas - an experience increasingly common to many Bell County voters as the area sees rapid growth and change?
Does Shine worry about Bell County’s other “outsiders”? Might he view a robust, ever-changing military population, a medical education community with active student rotations and employees attached to corporate relocations as additionally out of touch?
Shine derides Hickland’s “support” from billionaire interests outside Bell County despite Super PACs being restricted from coordinating with campaigns. Meanwhile, what of his allegiance to agendas dominated by his own local billionaire?
And has Shine any understanding that while alleging Hickland will give education tax dollars to illegal immigrants, that’s exactly what was mandated outside Bell County at the U.S. Supreme Court - some 40 years ago!
Over the years it’s been noticeable watching Collin, Denton and more locally, Williamson County catapult from small, sleepy counties to economic growth machines. Bell County is experiencing a similar jump. Local oligarchic associations formerly dictated the who, what, when, where and why of county operations, but that was then.
Shine has long enjoyed his Bellstocracy status that “outsiders” would once have dared not challenge, but as times change, words sometimes come back to haunt.
Hugh Shine has long lived within Bell County lines and it shows. With that, perhaps it’s time for fresh leadership that understands Bell County and the world outside our county lines.
While Hillary Clinton was a “hard no,” Hillary Hickland is the generational step forward to address today’s Bell County.
Early voting starts Tuesday, Feb. 20. Election Day is Tuesday, March 5. Vote!
Lou Ann Anderson is a writer, former radio producer and current podcaster at Political Pursuits. Her tenure as Watchdog Wire–Texas editor involved covering state news and coordinating the site’s citizen journalist network. As a past Policy Analyst with Americans for Prosperity–Texas, Lou Ann wrote and spoke on a variety of issues including the growing issue of probate abuse in which wills, trusts, guardianships and powers of attorney are used to loot assets from intended heirs or beneficiaries. She holds a degree from the University of North Texas in Denton.