AUSTIN, Texas, March 5, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Advocates of a fair and balanced civil justice system won key victories in both Democratic and Republican primaries in Texas on Tuesday, beating back a deluge of cash from personal injury trial lawyers and once again demonstrating the commitment of Texas voters to ending lawsuit abuse.
"Texans voted for candidates who understand that lawsuit reform is a key reason the Texas economy is one of the strongest in the nation," said TLR PAC Chairman Dick Trabulsi. "It was a good night for Texas. Tuesday's returns show strong support in both political parties for a balanced and fair civil justice system."
Trabulsi added that gains in access to health care since medical liability reforms were passed in 2003 -- including nearly 11,000 new doctors and a 26% increase in charity care -- was part of the winning message for lawsuit reform candidates.
In North Texas, State Rep. Betty Brown, a Terrell Republican, defeated personal injury trial lawyer Wade Gent, a lawsuit reform opponent. Trial lawyers poured over $100,000 into Gent's campaign in an effort to defeat Rep. Brown, a champion of lawsuit reform.
In South Texas, Democrat Tara Rios Ybarra defeated incumbent State Rep. Juan Escobar, whose failure to fight lawsuit abuse against the Texas maritime industry in the last legislative session angered many coastal communities.
TLR backed 23 candidates in contested primaries on Tuesday; 18 of those candidates won and 5 lost. TLR strongly supported candidates in both Democratic and Republican primaries.
TLR PAC is the political arm of Texans for Lawsuit Reform, the state's largest civil justice reform organization. TLR is a bipartisan, volunteer-led coalition with more than 16,000 supporters residing in 818 Texas communities and representing 1,266 different businesses, professions and trades. For more information about TLR visit www.tortreform.com.
The Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2960