Ex-Austin Council Member Raises $230K-Plus In State House Race

AUSTIN, TX — With a campaign war chest exceeding $230,000, former Austin City Council member Sheryl Cole is now the strongest contender to unseat longtime State Rep. Dawnna Dukes in the upcoming Democratic primaries.

Although cleared in a recent corruption probe, Dukes is vulnerable given the bad publicity that has threatened her 12-term hold on House District 46. In her latest campaign report filed on Jan. 15, former Austin Mayor Pro Tem Cole raised $91,483.73 and has another $22,831.89 in pledges for a total of $114,315.62 reported. Cumulatively, Cole has received $232,246.60 in donations and pledges in her campaign.

Among the 274 individual donations listed in the report are contributions from a who's who of Austin civic life: Austin City Council Member Sabino “Pio” Renteria; Hon. Debra Danburg; Sen. Kirk Watson; Hon. Chuck Herring; Hon. Chris Riley; Pastor Gaylon Clark; Hoover Alexander; Robbie Ausley; Lize Burr; George Cofer; Cecilia Crossley; Lulu Flores; Laura Hernandez; Amy Wong Mok; Regina Rogoff; and Ted Siff.

This support is in addition to the hundreds of public supporters and donors, including Rep. Lloyd Doggett, NAACP President Nelson Linder, and Hon. Mike Martinez, according to campaign manager, André Treiber,

Among the organizations formally endorsing Cole are such as the Austin Area AFL-CIO Central Labor Council, the Austin Progressive Coalition, Central Austin Democrats, University Democrats, and the Stonewall Democrats of Austin.

“I am grateful and humbled to have such broad based support,” Cole said in a prepared statement. “This campaign has become a reflection of our community. When our rights are under attack, we don’t sit on the sidelines.”

Dukes has been beset by controversy of late even though she was exonerated in October 2017 after a very public investigation into charges ranging from corruption and drug use to repeated absences at legislative sessions and misuse of state resources.

Related story: Travis County DA Drops All Charges Against Rep. Dawnna Dukes

>>> Image courtesy Sheryl Cole campaign