Ralph Hall’s challengers for Congress duel over outsider status

WASHINGTON — With 17 terms in office, Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Rockwall, is one of the most experienced members of Congress. But his challengers in the Republican primary are competing over the opposite distinction — who’s had the least exposure to Washington.

And even as they focus on the 90-year-old incumbent’s perceived status as a Washington insider and what they say is his lack of vigor in defending conservative values, they’re also dueling with each other over coveted political outsider status.

Attorney John Ratcliffe, 48, is Hall’s highest-profile challenger in the 4th Congressional District race. He’s a former U.S. attorney who served as the head federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Texas in 2007-08. He was also mayor of Heath for eight years, his only elected office.