LOCKE: "LET HOUSTONIANS DICTATE COURSE OF THE RACE"

September 17th, 2009 -  A day after an Austin-based group sent its members a newsletter comprised solely of negative personal messages, Gene Locke challenged the other mayoral candidates to disavow third party attacks.

"I am running for Mayor because I want to make Houston a better place. I know my opponents feel the same way. Voters want to hear from us about how we are going to reduce crime and traffic, and how we will keep our economy moving forward," Locke stated. "I don't think there is any place in this campaign for third-party groups from out of town to come in and lob personal attacks at any of the candidates. I call on the other candidates to join me in disavowing all such attacks and calling for an end to smear campaigns. Let's stick to the issues; and if we have something to say about each other, let's say it ourselves."

Annie's List, a group that has endorsed Annise Parker and was originally formed to elect Democratic pro-choice women to state offices, yesterday attacked Gene Locke, who is also a pro-choice Democrat. In their member newsletter, Annie's List ran a series of untrue, negative messages that berated Locke for a fundraising invitation that the Locke campaign did not create, preview, nor approve, and distorted other items in a personal attack.

"We need to commit to Houstonians that they will dictate the course of this race, not Washington, DC, or Austin political organizations. It's time for surrogates to leave the field and let the candidates speak for themselves," said Locke.

Locke personally called on the 23 groups who have endorsed him for mayor, including the Houston Association of Realtors, Houston Police Officers Union and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce PAC, who endorsed Locke yesterday, to continue to focus on the issues and refrain from engaging in third-party personal attacks in this campaign.