October 28, 2014 5:17 PM

Homophobic mailer roils Tarrant Senate race

Anonymous group attacks the Democrat while the Republican warns the Ethics Commission not to crack down on anonymous campaign spending

During Quorum Report’s trip to the Metroplex on Monday, people in Sen. Wendy Davis’ district, which is now up for grabs, were starting to chatter about a mailer that takes aim at Democratic candidate Libby Willis by using images of shirtless, oiled up men and asks if that is Willis’ “vision for Texas.” The flip side of the mailer says Willis, who’s running against Tea Party firebrand Konni Burton in a hot contest, is endorsed by “Texas' radical homosexual lobby.”

The mailer is not from the Burton campaign. The group that sent it to homes in Tarrant County is perhaps only slightly more mysterious than the “radical homosexual lobby” in Texas. Per The Dallas Voice, which also has pictures of the mailer:

"...a group under the name “National Family Coalition” has sent a homophobic mailer blasting Libby Willis, the Democratic opponent candidate for state Senate 10, for having the backing for the Equality Texas PAC. The only information found about the National Family Coalition is where it was registered."

Now, it’s nothing new at all for vicious attacks to show up in mail boxes during the final days of a close race. But the backdrop for this, including Burton’s stance on regulation of so-called “dark money,” is of note.

Though the mailer came from a third-party group, Willis' campaign said it was dishonest for Burton not to own its message because she's one of the conservative Senate nominees who signed a letter telling the Texas Ethics Commission not to adopt a new rule requiring greater disclosure in campaigns. Burton and others argue the agency would be overstepping its constitutional authority by adopting a proposed rule on this.

The agency could approve it on Wednesday.

By Scott Braddock