By MICHAEL GRACZYK Associated Press Writer © 2010 the Associated Press

Feb. 9. 20-10, 2:59 p.m.

HOUSTON — Sheila Jackson Lee’s appearance at Michael Jackson’s funeral in Los Angeles last summer helped convince a three-term Houston city councilman to give the ubiquitous congresswoman her first credible re-election challenge since she won her seat 16 years ago.

“To say the least, the question ‘Why?’ came to mind,” says Jarvis Johnson, who hopes to end Jackson Lee’s tenure in Texas’ 18th Congressional District by winning the March 2 Democratic primary. “Why are you there?”

Jackson Lee makes no apologies for taking the stage at Staples Center to exhibit a large framed congressional resolution honoring the dead pop star as a “world humanitarian.”

“It’s a wonderful resolution,” she says, even if such activities go beyond the scope of representing central Houston. “I don’t shy away from it and never will.”

No one ever could accuse Jackson Lee, 60, of being shy. Even her supporters joke about her frequent speeches, broadcast on C-SPAN, to an empty House chamber. Her efforts to nab just the right seat at high-profile events to maximize on-camera time are legendary.

Johnson sees her antics as style over substance and illustrative of what’s wrong with the way Jackson Lee does her job in a solidly Democratic district where winning the party primary guarantees victory in November.

“At the end of the day, people say you need to take care of your district, and being in California is not taking care of your district,” he said. “We have a multitude of issues right here — unemployment, dropout rate, quality of life.”

Incumbents who don’t get challenged get lazy and complacent, he said.

The race offers an interesting historical parallel.

Jackson Lee was in her third term on the Houston City Council in 1994 when she beat incumbent U.S. Rep. Craig Washington on the theme that he was out of touch with his district. Johnson, 38, just won his third term to his council seat that’s within the 18th Congressional District. The congressional district takes in much of urban Houston, is about 40 percent black with the remainder split between whites and Hispanics. It accounts for about a quarter of the city’s more than 2 million residents.

Jackson Lee is miffed by the accusation she’s out of touch.

“I’d like to think if you call me late at night, which people do, and there is a need, I will try to respond,” she said.

Their campaign styles offer great contrast.

Jackson Lee kicked off her re-election bid at a downtown Houston union hall where supporters were served a catered buffet and entertained by a mariachi band and Pakistani dancers. She made a grand entrance some two hours after the event began and reminded people of her work arranging help for earthquake-ravaged Haiti, assistance for hurricane victims and federal money to ease the debt burden of Texas Southern University.

“Sheila is everywhere,” said supporter Arthur Schechter, a supporter. “No one can outwork her.”

Johnson’s supporters began their admittedly uphill effort munching on doughnuts in a strip of connected rented mobile homes. After prayer and brief remarks, Johnson dismissed his supporters with guidance that it now was “time to get to work” knocking on doors and making calls.

“We need something new and fresh that is motivating, encouraging and full of humility,” Darlene Evans, 56, of Houston, said. “I think (Jackson Lee) got off on the power.”

A third Democrat, Houston attorney Sean Roberts, also is on the primary ballot. It’s his first bid for political office.

“We’re running as the non-politician in the race,” he said.

Jackson Lee has drawn primary opposition only once before, in 2002, and steamrolled with 94 percent of the vote.

Johnson hopes to take advantage of anti-incumbent voter sentiment as illustrated by the election last month of a Republican to the U.S. Senate from Democrat-strong Massachusetts. That outcome was a fluke, Jackson Lee insisted.

Her view isn’t shared by Gerry Birnberg, chairman of the Harris County Democratic Party. “Right now, I’d have to say she’s the favorite, but I can’t say she’s a shoo-in,” he said.

He called Jackson Lee as an “indefatigable” campaigner, but said some resentment may remain from Jackson Lee’s backing of Hillary Clinton over Obama for president in 2008.

She’s determined to defend her record and her clout. On the first visit by the new director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to Houston, Jackson Lee shepherded him to her district even though it was dozens of miles from the areas most devastated by Hurricane Ike in 2008.

As of the end of 2009, she had nearly $500,000 in campaign cash. By late January, Johnson had yet to make a financial filing with election officials.