Professor gets signatures to be on ballot

At 2 p.m. today, Lorenzo Sadun, professor of mathematics at the University, will deliver the 500 signatures needed to place him on the November ballot as a write-in candidate for the 10th Congressional District of Texas. To celebrate this success, Sadun held a gathering for supporters Monday at his recently acquired campaign office on Cameron Road.

"News flash - the candidate is on his way!" exclaimed Mrs. Sadun, announcing her husband's arrival to the new bureau.

Also among the crowd of supporters was Greg Hamilton, Democratic nominee for Travis County Sherrif, who said he supports Sadun for Congress.

"He expresses my philosophical approach - helping out the folks," Hamilton said.

Sadun began vying for signatures and support in February, and he said he has focused his efforts from his residence near the University to the city of Hempstead near Houston, two towns included in the recently redistricted 10th Congressional District.

University Democrat Katie Forde said that she's glad "he's throwing his hat into the ring" of politics and that Sadun, who said he participated in college politics to peacefully liberate South Africa from apartheid, is no stranger to politics. He said he decided to run because there was no Democratic candidate for his district.

"I lost my right to vote," Sadun said in a July 8 Daily Texan article. "When you start saying that someone needs to step up and do something about it, the best place to look is in the mirror."

In 2003, the Republican-led Legislature redrew the boundaries of Texas' congressional districts, including the 10th Congressional District. Traditionally a stronghold for Texas Democrats, the district now stretches from Austin to Houston.

"One mile east, south and west of where I live is the 21st District, two miles east is the 25th District and 120 miles east is back in the 10th District," Sadun said.

Susan Baughman, Sadun's neighbor and volunteer coordinator for his campaign, said she has been deeply involved in his campaign. She said she became involved, because she recently joined the Democratic Party and was "just so disgusted to be a new Democrat and go to the polls in November, only to have no choice."

Before Sadun began his campaign, Republican Michael McCaul was the only contender for the Congressional seat.

Now, Alan Sager, a professor of government at the University and chairman of the Travis County Republican Party, said he thinks the largely rural and suburban demographics of the newly drawn district will be to McCaul's advantage.

"I think it's fine [Sadun] is running," said Sager. "He'll help motivate our own voters."

But of Monday's celebratory gathering, Sager said, "We have better things to do."

Campaign manager Patti Edelman said campaign members visited watermelon festivals in Elgin and Hempstead, where she spoke to a lady with a breathing machine who said, "I'm so glad you're doing this. Put a [campaign] sticker on the back of my wheelchair!"

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