| The Democrat who unsuccessfully challenged Republican U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay in 2004 has announced his entry into the race for Fort Bend County Precinct 1 commissioner.
“The main reason is because I can't get my current county commissioner to stand up and oppose that toll road they want to put next to my neighborhood,” said Greatwood resident Richard Morrison.
An environmental attorney, Morrison said he opposes plans to construct Segment C of Grand Parkway as a toll road, and contends the Commissioners Court should use its authority to stop the project.
Segment C is a local portion of the planned 170-mile Grand Parkway that would run from U.S. 59 at Crabb River Road to U.S. 288 in Brazoria County.
Incumbent Precinct 1 Commissioner Tom Stavinoha, a Republican, seeks re-election. Stavinoha, in the March primary, faces a challenge from Greg Ordeneaux.
Morrison earned his bachelor's degree at Baylor University and received his law license in 1991 from South Texas College of Law. Since then, has specialized in environmental law.
“As an environmental attorney, you can represent corporations and help them get permits - and I've done some of that - or you can represent citizens and help them preserve their neighborhoods. That's most of what I've done,” he said.
Among Morrison's clients is a group of residents in eastern Fort Bend County who are opposing Allied Waste Corp. in its effort to receive a permit to expand Blue Ridge Landfill.
Morrison lost to DeLay in 2004, but he said people nevertheless thanked him for running.
“I got so many compliments, that even people that support Tom DeLay said I ran a good campaign, and that campaign was the ‘most we've seen of Tom DeLay in 10 years.' I think for our government to work, you've got to have that,” he said.
Morrison's next political involvement happened in 2006, when he spearheaded the effort to get State Rep. Rick Noriega, D-Houston, to run for the U.S. Senate this election season.
Fort Bend County's Precinct 1 may have a history of electing Republicans, but Morrison contends voting patterns in the 2006 elections show it is “not an insurmountable task” for a Democrat to run.
Morrison and wife Allison have five children. They attend Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Rosenberg, where Morrison served as president of the Parent Teacher Council.
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