Political diversity increasing in East Austin

Texas House District 46 candidate Gabriel Nila appeared at a forum hosted by Africans who emigrated to the United States, garnering some press in a newspaper serving the Austin black community.

Diaspora Vote, founded in 2010, invited all eastern Travis County candidates to participate in a non-partisan forum to "create a dialogue between the candidates and elected and appointed officials regarding local issues."

Nila, as it happens, was the only Republican to attend, joined by the Green Party's Flashe Gordon and Democrat Arthur Simpson (both running for Travis County Commissioner Court Precinct 1) and Precinct 1 Constable incumbent Danny Thomas, a Democrat.

Read the Villager article here (PDF file, page 8, screenshot above):

What is interesting is that notoriously absent Dawnna Dukes, the Democratic incumbent for HD 46, was not present, considering she is a celebrated advertiser of the Villager (see bottom-right corner -- click for larger view):

Perhaps Rep. Dukes had somewhere to be during that time -- make your own judgments there. However, we find it refreshing to see Republicans filling the spaces usually reserved for the usual gang of Democratic office-seekers. Congratulations to Nila (and Flashe Gordon, for that matter) for contributing to Austin's political diversity.