Linda Harper-Brown in Texas House District 105
Republican Linda Harper-Brown is running against the same Democrat who challenged her for the Irving seat two years ago, Bob Romano. She got our recommendation then and gets it now, based on her superior grasp of transportation and other key issues.

Ms. Harper-Brown, 60, budget and oversight chair of the House Transportation Committee and now in her third term, heads her family accounting business. She has steadily supported expanding the local rail transit system to ease traffic congestion.

Her leadership could be key to passing vital legislation to allow voters to have their say on a menu of new revenue sources. She also has specific ideas on meeting road-building needs short of a higher gas tax, although she wisely keeps the door open to indexing it.

Mr. Romano, 74, a retired IBM employee, served one term on the Irving City Council. He rules out an increase in the gas tax, new toll roads or new revenue for rail. He says current resources can cover our transportation needs, an unrealistic position. He contends that river barges could help move freight around metro areas.

Both candidates want to replace the new business tax, though Mr. Romano cannot propose a replacement. We disagree with Ms. Harper-Brown's alternative of switching to a broadened sales tax, but at least she has given some thought to an alternative. She also has concrete ideas for efficiencies in government, which Mr. Romano doesn't.

Libertarian James G. Baird, 44, an information-technology consultant, also appears on the ballot.