"He (Dee Margo) will work to ensure that all children who qualify for early childhood education (Pre-K) have access to it."

Source: Dee Margo 2010 Campaign Web Site

...And then he broke it.

Just seven months after getting elected, Margo voted to deliver "a fatal whack" to providing our children with full-day pre-kindergarten.  Thanks to Margo, Texas school districts were forced to pick from three bad options: raise taxes, charge tuition, or shut down the program.

Sources: Texas Tribune, 6/17/11 & House Journal, 5/11/11, Vote #1664

If you see Dee, give him this message:

We know what you did last session.

Dee Margo is part of that problem. He's part of a leadership that recklessly puts partisan politics over the basic needs of the people.  I'm running for State Representative to put an end to it.

I think the Republicans may have noticed what I'm up to. At the end of the redistricting battle, the Attorney General submitted a map that cut my neighborhood out of District 78.

It's not hard to figure out why a Republican Attorney General would try to prevent me from running against a Republican state representative burdened by a bad record.

Regardless, the Attorney General's scheme didn't work. I'm on the move.

My promise to this community since I first ran in 2008 was to work every day to Move El Paso Forward. If it means that my wife and I have to move a few blocks west, then that's what we'll do!

Within the next few weeks -- and well before the court-ordered April 9th deadline -- we will be residing in the district. After I'm elected, we plan to sell our house and buy a new one safely in the district.

As I said when I announced last year, voters have a clear choice in this race.

Take public education: I worked to protect El Paso's teachers and schoolchildren while Dee Margo chose to hurt them.

In 2009, the Legislature faced a deficit, but we found a way to craft a budget that protected our schools from heartless cuts.

In 2011, Dee Margo helped create -- and then voted for -- a budget that is currently devastating our public schools.  So far, 12,000 teachers have lost their jobs. Meanwhile, children all over the state -- including elementary kids in Canutillo and El Paso ISD -- are getting stuffed into overcrowded classrooms.

I've been in the ring with Margo before.  I know he is going to fire out partisan attacks and dodge the hard questions about his record.

But Dee won't get away with it.  With your help, we can win this fight and restore strong leadership for El Paso in Austin.  Your encouragement, support and contributions will help make that possible - and I know I can count on you to help me go the distance!

Ultimately, there is one El Paso, and we all share a great love for our border community.  That's why we need leaders in Austin who work for us.  With your help, we'll get El Paso back on track and moving forward once again!

Tomorrow I will be filing my papers to challenge Dee Margo and his failed leadership - so I guess the referee can ring the bell!  The election isn't until November 2012, but filing for office is our first step in bringing open, accountable government back to El Paso.

My wife and I will be at Democratic Headquarters (1401 Montana) at 12pm as I file for office, and we would be honored if you could join us!  Another special part of the day will be filing my papers alongside my Dad, Judge Bill Moody, as he seeks re-election to the 34th District Court.  From the beginning my family has instilled in me the values of hard work and public service. Those values served me well in my term in Austin, and I will take those same values and put them back to work when we win next November.

I hope you can join me tomorrow as we head into Round 1 of this rubber match - if you can't join us tomorrow please make plans to attend our Campaign Kickoff!  Here are the details: