One consequence of the ruthless Texas redistricting initiated by now disgraced GOP Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and renewed by the current state Republican leadership, is that Austin has no congressional district anchored in the city. Instead, all five districts are anchored in other population centers, and the sole Democratic representative is Lloyd Doggett. That alone is a strong reason for a straight Democratic vote. In addition to Doggett, each 2016 Dem challenger would be an improvement on the current incumbents. They include RN Tawana Cadien (D10), educator William Matta (D17), longtime grassroots activist Tom Wakely (D21), and businesswoman Kathi Thomas (D25). Your Travis County ballot will reflect only one of these candidates – you can generate a personal sample ballot on the Travis County Clerk elections website.