republican – Carol A. Spencer

The Way it Should Be

Yesterday, November 2, 2024, just 3 days before Election Day, we held another one of our pop-up rallies. We had already done them in Smithville and Elgin, so it was Bastrop’s turn. Where else but the beautiful and iconic Bastrop Bridge? We met at 9 and started our flag waving.

Shortly thereafter, we were greeted by a Bastrop police officer who told us that (1) we needed a permit if more than 4 or 5 of us were going to stand in one place, and (2) we needed to stay on the protected side of the barrier. Not being our first pop-up on this very bridge, we knew we did not need a permit (it’s a public sidewalk) and we also knew we could not block that sidewalk and could not venture into the road. After some discussion, everything was settled and we resumed our flag waving to very receptive passers-by.

About an hour later, a huge number of Democrats arrived, probably 50 – 70. Most ventured down to the other end of the bridge. A few decided to surround us by staying where we were. The attempt to intimidate was, frankly, funny. There were only 8 of us.

Pretty much everyone was pleasant. We exchanged “good mornings” and our joy at the cloudy day versus the hot sun burning down on us. A few were obnoxious as they passed us by, made snide comments, but we just ignored them and kept waving our flags.

The vehicle response was tremendous. Just like at our other pop-ups, the ratio of thumbs up to thumbs down was probably 50 to 1.

Sign in the road Later in the morning, after taking a much needed break, we drove across the bridge. People in the road There was a huge campaign sign and multiple people in the breakdown lane and probably 15+ sitting on the barrier swinging their legs on the traffic side. Very, very dangerous. Had anyone slipped, they’d have fallen into traffic. Had those been our folks, I would have immediately told them they needed to be out of the road and behind the barrier. But they weren’t. So, yes, I admit it, I called the police to ensure everyone’s safety. The police arrived and politely asked everyone to be behind the barrier and safety returned.

Republicans and Democrats CAN get along! But, apparently, someone wants to stir the pot. Someone has started rumors that there was some altercation between the Dems and the Republicans. Fake news. Just not true.

For me personally, I have many friends and family members who are Democrats. In fact, this summer one of my favorite Dems attended the Trump rally in Wilkes-Barre PA with me. We had a blast.

Yesterday was one of the best examples of how people can support the candidate(s) of their choice and do it in one location. Again, my opinion, but I like seeing people out and active, not sitting at home and doing nothing but complain. Perhaps the photo at left will help everyone remember that we’re all Americans first and foremost. Thanks to everyone for a wonderful day!

VOTE

Texas offers a lot of opportunities to vote. We have early voting for 2 weeks. Of course, we have election day voting. We have mail-in voting for those over 65 and out of county or state during the election season. We have overseas voting for both military and ex-pats. And, for those who cannot get into the polling place safely, we have curbside voting.

There are no excuses for not voting.

It’s a simple thing to do: express your opinion. Most of us do that at every opportunity. So why don’t people vote? Some think it doesn’t matter, but we’ve seen slim margins in so many races lately, it’s hard to believe people still think their vote doesn’t count.

I think that it’s just that people get busy with their every day lives and forget. I heard just a few days ago that 20% of those who say they’re going to vote on Election Day itself, don’t vote.

So, I got a voter registration list for my precinct. I sorted it by those who voted in the 2020 or 2024 GOP primary. Here in Texas, the list of daily voters is published on the Secretary of State’s website. So, I printed the primary voter list and, if they voted already, I crossed them off the list.

I sent a post card to each voter reminding them to early vote.

Results? Just shy of 50% of those people voted in the next 3 days.

Today, those who still haven’t voted are getting another card to remind them that Tuesday is their last chance.

Let’s hope this works to get out the vote. The future of our country is determined by those who vote. If you stay home because politics isn’t your “thing” or you’re disgusted with the tone of discourse, you have no right to complain if things don’t go the way you had hoped. VOTE!

Arrogance is Divisive and Damaging

What’s with political organizations that refuse to work with other political organizations? I’ve been involved in the political world since 1987, 37 years. I’ve been president of multiple organizations. I’ve been an elected official. I’ve been an elected Party official in 2 states.

I’ve never seen so many ego driven, divisive, arrogant, political leaders in all those years as I see today. I’ve never seen so-called “leaders” who flat out refuse to talk to or work with other Party organizations, who publicly denigrate elected officials. Even for defeated candidates, it’s important not to “burn bridges”, but “burning bridges” seems to be the norm now.

We must work together. We must talk with each other. We must respect each other’s organizations and how they operate. We must acknowledge our differences and strive to find common goals. We are stronger together.

One would think that as conservatives, we would do that. But what happens when the arrogance of certain leaders just flat out refuses to do so? Apparently, they don’t realize they are hurting themselves, their organizations, and our GOP candidates.

Put your egos aside people. If you can’t, you don’t belong in leadership of any kind, especially in the political world.

Remember “United We Stand. Divided We Fall.”

Are you a voter or a lemming?

Is a list of endorsements from an organization an end point for you or a starting point? Do you vote in a primary from a list provided by one organization or do you research endorsements from several organizations and see where they overlap? Do you do your own research?

Bunni Pounds from Christians Engaged has great advice. Read below or watch this clip.

“In 20 minutes you can research your ballot and go in much more prepared than anybody else. Look at the races. Look at their Facebook pages. Look at their website. Read out of their own mouth what they say about their qualifications. Check out their resumes. Google their names. See who else is supporting them in your community. See if they answer some of the questions that are important to you about these non-partisan races. And, then check around people in your communities to see who they are supporting and why. […] Check out public forums and anything they are hosting to get to know the candidates in your city.”

Did the organization print a transcript, or at least a summary, of the interviews with the candidates on which they based their recommendations?
Did they ask the candidates for written answers to a common set of questions and publish those answers?
If they didn’t interview a candidate, did they tell you that?
If they have an affiliation or prior business relationship with a candidate, were they transparent enough to tell you that?
If one candidate is a member of their organization and the other is not, do they reveal that?
Did they provide any rationale at all for why they chose one candidate over the others?

Never be a lemming. Just because this group or that says “vote for our list of candidates” or worse yet, “take our list to the polls with you”, that’s not what you should do in a primary, runoff, or uniform (May non-partisan) election.

Expect information. Better yet, demand information or refuse to be a lemming. Your vote is yours, not theirs.

Read Between the Lines

People collect things. I collect campaign literature. I have campaign literature going back probably 30 years. Some is good; some is awful; some is clever; some really, really boring. Some has colors that are just atrocious. Some was done with nary a thought for the low-vision user. Some is just evidence the candidate doesn’t know what they’re doing, or worse, why they’re running.

Campaign literature is sales literature. The candidate is selling you on why they’d be the best in the position. Here are my four rules when it’s campaign time: Don’t be fooled or swayed by photographs in the mailers; Know what the candidate can and cannot do in office; Read carefully; Find and research the legally required “paid for by”.

Rule #1: Don’t be fooled or swayed by photographs in the mailers.

Some candidates use photos of themselves with their families or children. Why? To tug at your heart strings… “Oh isn’t that cute!” Cute isn’t what you need from an elected official. Candidates need conviction and back-bone. They need to be strong, not sway the way the wind blows. They don’t need to be cute.

Carol Spencer with Monica Crowley Why do some of them use photos with famous elected officials? To make you think that person supports their candidacy. But do they? This is Monica Crowley and me a few years ago at a GOP event. Having a photo with her didn’t mean she endorsed my candidacy. The same is true of photos with Kellyanne Conway, Rudy Guiliani, Sarah Palin, Ken Paxton, Sid Miller, Governor Abbott and so many others with whom I’ve been photographed over the years. Photos with famous politicos, unless accompanied by the words “Endorsed by [name of person in photo]”, should be interpreted as manipulative, meant to make the candidate look important or to make the reader think that person has endorsed the candidate.

A list of endorsements by others, but not the person in the photo, when used together is pure deception. Back to top

Rule #2: Know what the candidate can and cannot do in office.

Someone running for a legislative position cannot do anything without a majority vote of the body in which they serve (city council, TX House, TX Senate, US House, US Senate). They cannot fix the border or cut government spending. And usually, the executive (mayor, governor, president) has to sign any passed legislation to make it law.

Someone running for an executive position can only do that which the charter or constitution allows. And, a great deal of what is allowed requires a vote of the legislative body: budgets, capital spending for example.

This is called “checks and balances”.

When an incumbent running for re-election says they accomplished this or that, no they didn’t. They cast one vote for legislation to make that happen. Perhaps they swayed colleagues to do the same. But in the end, without a majority vote and a supportive executive, nothing they support will ever come to pass.

And, remember what position they’re running for… a mayor cannot close the border, fund medicare or fix social security issues. A congressman can’t get local roads paved. Back to top

Rule #3: Read carefully

Beware the use of “conservative”. Does a true conservative support Democrat chairs in the legislature? Does a true conservative celebrate being endorsed by staunch Democrats? Does a conservative group endorse candidates who previously voted Democrat?

There’s a big difference between “voted to close the border” and “closed the border” but you’ll see both on campaign literature.

“Most experienced” is something else you’ll often see. If you don’t know what the requirements of the position include, how will you evaluate “most experienced”? If the person has always been a chief executive, but is running for a legislative position, that person probably does not have the requisite experience. A chief executive calls the shots. A legislator must count votes for bill passage and must sway a majority to his/her line of thinking. These are very different skill sets. Back to top

Rule #4: Find and research the legally required “paid for by”

All campaign advertisements must include who paid for them. This is critical to know. Did the candidate (well, actually, the candidate’s donors) pay for the mailer? Did some PAC (political action committee) pay for it?

If a PAC paid for it, ask yourself what that PAC expects to get for the expenditure of funds. Mailers are very expensive: design, printing, mailing costs. A county-wide GOP mailer can easily cost $5,000.

Do an online search for the PAC itself and see what it’s about. Go to OpenSecrets.org for Federal PACs and see who else got money from that PAC. Go to Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) for State PACs.

This is also true of the various emails requesting money. Where’s it going? Watch carefully. Sometimes something will appear to be for a candidate, but the money you donate is going elsewhere. Be careful! Back to top

The Value (or not) of Endorsements

Candidates love to share their endorsements. Why? They believe you’ll find a name among that list that you admire, and thus will vote for that candidate.

But should you? My husband, who has also been involved in the political world for many, many years, says “Endorsements are only good on the back of a check.” I agree.

What difference does it make if a beloved former (or current) governor or legislator, or well-known local, endorses a current candidate? That “former (or current)” or “well-known” won’t be serving in office. They don’t vote. The candidate, once an officerholder, does.

Will that former or current elected official, or well-known local, have significant influence over the actions and votes of the candidate? Will that endorser’s influence exceed that of the voters? Yes, it will. And, if campaign contributions flow from that endorser, my “yes” is iron-clad.

Endorsements List Don’t be awed by endorsements. Rather, ask yourself, “If that endorser opposed a measure I support, who’s opinion would the candidate (now officeholder) weigh more heavily?” When it comes to a vote and the chips are down, if donations are involved, the endorser wins, the voters lose. It’s rarely the other way around.

The TX House vote to impeach Ken Paxton is but one example. All but 5 Republicans who took money from Dade Phelan voted to impeach: 49 of them. Did that accurately reflect the wishes of their constituents? Not likely.

Another example: Let’s say managing excessive growth is your highest priority (as it is for many in Bastrop County). Along comes a candidate’s literature stating that they are endorsed by major residential and commercial developers or a law firm that makes a good deal of its money from representing developers or a real estate PAC or an entity with which they have a business relationship.

Once in office, will that candidate vote with the wishes of his/her constituents or the endorser? What if that endorser helped fund the campaign? You know the answer.

The only caveat in this is if you research the endorser’s background or votes during his/her term of office and find you’re majorly in agreement with the endorser’s stands on current issues. But you must do that research specifically regarding current issues. I repeat: current issues. A good example of this is a Trump endorsement.

It means nothing if you agreed with that endorser’s stand on the war in Iraq, but disagree with his/her current stand on school choice, casino gambling, water, immigration or any other issue facing the county or state.

And remember, current elected officials who endorse often have their own agendas: which candidate can or will help me the most when I run for re-election or which candidate is likely to win, making me look like a winner?

The only endorsement worth anything is that of the voters, your endorsement. You have the power. Don’t be swayed by a list of allegedly important names.

Conservative? Maybe not.

Online Research Often Exposes The Truth.

MAGA matters and those running for office know it. That’s why candidates, mostly Republican but frankly of both parties, claim to be “conservative”.

Football player tossing a football labeled conservative But, voter beware. Just because they say they’re conservative, they aren’t. They easily toss around the word “conservative” knowing that low-information voters are swayed by it. So, become a high-information voter using online resources!

They hope you don’t do your homework. I hope you do. There are many places to get information about a candidate. Campaign literature and websites are not places to go except to learn what the candidate wants you to know. To get to the truth, you must do some research.

Watch what they do, not what they say. I’ve said this for a long time about candidates, something I’ve learned through my 35+ years involved in political campaigns. People can say anything, but they can’t change the record.

Candidates can modify their social media posts, but few are likely to do that unless their comments become big news. Think of candidates and/or office holders that have been caught by salacious or offensive posts. You can learn a lot by a quick scan of someone’s posts. If they’re on X (formerly known as Twitter), that’s the best place to take a quick scan.

Candidates and office holders likely have to file financial reports with either the local election office or the Texas Ethics Commission or the Federal Elections Commission. Visit BastropVotes for local candidates. Visit the Texas Ethics Commission for district, judicial, or statewide candidates. Texas Ethics also has contributor information about Texas Political Action Committees (PACs). Visit the Federal Elections Commission for all federal candidates. A non-governmental source to “follow the money” is opensecrets.org where you can search by candidate, committee, or by donor. Open Secrets also has information about “dark money” groups, Super PACs and more.

If a candidate is an incumbent, their votes will tell you whether they’re actually a conservative or not. For Texas legislators, Texas Legislature Online is chock full of information. For a Texas legislative ranking, visit Mark Jones’ analysis in the Texas Tribune or The Freedom Index where individual legislators can be searched. For US Congressmen & Senators, visit FreedomWorks for an analysis of their voting records.

For example, my Texas legislator received one 50% ranking. How good is that? Prior to casting my vote, I’ll compare it to other rankings and any opponents. My US Representative has a session ranking of 100%, and a lifetime ranking of 94.4%. I doubt any opponent can beat that!

For those running the first time, keep an eye on their financial reports. “Follow the money” is always true in politics. Search online, especially LinkedIn for bios which will include volunteer and employment histories.

Always look at a candidate’s past voter history. See if it’s published on one of your local GOP club websites. If you can’t find it online, then ask your local GOP chair for the information.

If you can find the name of a candidate’s treasurer or campaign chair, search them as well. People typically take these roles for candidates who are like-minded and who the treasurer and chair want in office. You won’t find too many Republicans serving as campaign chairs or treasurers for liberal democrats, and vice versa.

Your vote is critical to the survival of our nation. If you, like me, consider yourself a conservative and vote accordingly, then do your job. Do your homework. Know before you go!