DALLAS — The two conservatives who want to represent North Dallas and Lake Highlands in the Texas House of Representatives clashed in a feisty debate broadcast Sunday morning on WFAA’s Inside Texas Politics.
State Rep. Jason Villalba, running for his third term in House District 114, will face challenger Dan Morenoff in the Republican primary on March 1.
Both men are attorneys and friends, but the two tangled quickly.
“In the last [legislative] session, Jason wrote bills that violated or attacked four of the six clauses of the First Amendment," Morenoff argued. "He is a lawyer. He is a good lawyer. He thinks that he was trying to do things that were important, so he doesn’t care they were unconstitutional."
“I know Mr. Morenoff has gone to some really fancy schools up on the East Coast, but until he’s wearing that black robe and sits up in Washington D.C. to tell me this is an unconstitutional idea, I think it’s a bit naïve,” Villalba shot back.
Morenoff was attacking Villalba for several bills he introduced last legislative session, including one that would have required citizens to stay a certain distance away from police while photographing them. Villalba eventually pulled that bill after controversy erupted.
He also introduced another bill requiring children who attend public school to be vaccinated before enrolling.
Morenoff said his children are vaccinated, but added there’s already a “reasonable accommodation for religious dissenters” in the existing law.
“I have tremendous respect for Mr. Morenoff, but again, he is not the arbiter between you and I and the State of Texas and constituents I represent as to what is and is not constitutional,” said Villalba.
Villalba said he welcomes the challenge from Morenoff, and even asked for one during a previous appearance on Inside Texas Politics. During his first two terms in Austin, Villalba has clashed with some of the more conservative factions of the Republican Party of Texas.
Both men meet again on Friday morning at a forum hosted by the Lake Highlands Exchange Club.
The winner of the Republican primary will meet the Democrat, Jim Burke, in November’s general election.
