Zimmerman poised to test "Konni Burton Theorem"

"Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord,
But a just weight is His delight."
Proverbs 11:1

We have recently developed an informal hypothesis.  We've dubbed it the "Konni Burton theorem."  It goes like this: In swing districts, credible advocates for limited government win where kumbaya-style moderates lose.

In 2014, Konni Burton was elected to a Texas Senate seat in a Tarrant County swing district that was previously held by Wendy Davis (yes, THAT Wendy Davis).  During that year's general election, Burton was such a strong advocate for limited government that she refused to endorse the Texas "Medical" Association's monopoly over liability insurance.  Burton was successful in a district where moderates Mark Shelton and Kim Brimer had recently lost.

We mention Konni Burton as a long winded introduction to the fact that we attended Don Zimmerman's Austin City Council re-election campaign kickoff party last night and we sense a similar phenomenon.

Obviously, Zimmerman has been an unapologetic advocate for economic liberty and tax relief during his time on Council.  He leveraged his position on the dais to defeat the Travis County Courthouse bond.  He also stopped a hostile annexation for the first time in city history.

And, at least based on last night's turnout, Don has struck a chord in district 6.  Several dozen people showed up over the course of the event, though we didn't think about doing an actual body count until after the fact.  At a minimum, Zimmerman should have no trouble finding volunteers.

As we wrote about Burton and Zimmerman back in January: "Burton and Zimmerman are the most prominent voices in their respective legislative bodies in opposition to corporate welfare and other forms of cronyism and rent-seeking (*).  Both represent districts that are competitive in a general election.  Burton and Zimmerman's success proves that disgust with rent-seeking for purposes of "economic development" extends beyond Republican primary voters into the general electorate."

Bottom Line: We'll see what happens, but if Don Zimmerman ultimately wins re-election (especially in this climate), it will provide a lesson in how to win swing districts that others would be wise to emulate.