Rain Minns for Texas State Senate District 16

Background:

My background demonstrates the confidence and the ability to win a State Senate campaign, even against a 15-year, firmly entrenched Republican. I am currently working as an attorney with primary focus on federal tax defense. The IRS typically gets convictions in 91-97% of its criminal tax cases. Yet, as we have done in many years, my firm beat the IRS on every single criminal count last year. Our odds of winning the General Election this November are our much better than that. 43% of this senate district voted Democratic in 2006. Working together, we can build the community support necessary to overcome the special interests that now control State Senate District 16.

I am a life-long Texan and the mother of two children, ages 2 years and 6 months. I earned a Juris Doctorate from Cornell University Law School. I also graduated magna cum laude from Dartmouth College.

My personal, business and community service highlights include Temple Emanu-El Pre-School Parents Association, "Caring Congregation" community service program and "Sisterhood" Women's Program; Sierra Club; The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; Cornell Cares (alumni association community service program); The Humane Society; Dallas Arboretum; Salvation Army volunteer; Dallas Zoological Society; Museum of Nature & Science; Volunteer Coordinator, Laredo Animal Protective Society; Ho-Chunk Nation (Native American) Department of Justice; Public Interest Law Union; Southern States Rottweiler Rescue; General Counsel\'s Office of U.S. Trade Representative.

Goals:

I have a very personal reason for running for this office. I used to be an Assistant Attorney General in Texas. My job was to represent the State of Texas against facilities in which elderly residents died from neglect or abuse.

I had won all of my cases, including the highest arbitration award in the history of my division. Then, legislation was passed that took away the legal tools that I used to protect the elderly. The Republican incumbent, State Senator John Corona, brags about how his leadership help pass that legislation. We need change to restore these vital legal protections for our senior citizens. (It's not just elderly Texans who have seen their American Dream stolen, see "Issues," below.)

Issues:

Reclaiming the American Dream for all Texas families:

* Our public education system is crumbling under the weight of oppressive testing and starvation funding.

* Our state higher education system is being priced out of the reach of our middle class children by spiraling tuition.

* Our transportation system is being high jacked in the largest land grab in Texas history (the Trans Texas Corridor is an environmental, economic, transportation and property rights nightmare).

* Our air quality is stifling our children's health along with our economic development potential.

* Texas is opting out of federal matching grants rather than providing affordable, adequate health care for our families.

Grassroots Support:

Only by working together can we make the changes necessary to reclaim the American Dream for Texas families. Only by working together can we prevail against a 15-year, firmly entrenched Republican with a huge campaign war chest provided by the special interests he has supported in Austin. We need your help to mount the kind of campaign necessary to win the general election this November: list your name as endorsing Rain; host a "meet and greet;" make a financial contribution; host a fundraising event; place a sign in your yard; walk blocks knocking on doors; make campaign phone calls; distribute campaign literature; help recruit campaign volunteers; and help with campaign clerical work.

DFA Values:

See the above answer.