The Thirty-Eight Day Countdown

On Saturday, June 30, just thirty-eight (38) days from today, all Congressional District 27 voters will go to the polls to elect an interim congressman.  The winner of this race will serve until the full-term congressman, elected in the November general election, takes office in January 2019.

There are nine candidates in the race.  This is not a primary, but rather a one-day special election.  All nine candidates will be on the ballot and voters will choose one. If a runoff is necessary, it will be held in September.

The June 30 Special Election is not a primary. All nine candidates will be on the ballot and voters will choose only one.

Republicans include Primary winner Michael Cloud as well as Bech Bruun and Marty Perez.  Democrats include Primary winner Eric Holguin as well as Raul “Roy” Barrera and Mike Westergren. Independents Judith Cutright and Christopher Suprun along with Libertarian Daniel Tinus round out the candidate list.

It’s very clear that if the Republican Michael Cloud or Democrat Eric Holguin (primary victors) wins the special election, he will have a leg-up for the November general election.  While CD 27 has been considered a safe Republican district, complacency has been the cause of more than one stunning election defeat.  Democrats are energized and if the 2017 race in Georgia’s Sixth District is any indication, out-of-state money will pour into this district to attempt an upset.

Ballot BoxWinning the special election at the ballot box on June 30 with more than 50% of the vote would be decisive.  Strategically, Republicans should work hard to top 50% for our candidate, eliminating the need for another election. With many Republicans out of their home districts for an entire week because of the RPT Convention (June 11 – 16), we need to double our efforts when on home turf to make this happen.  And, those not going to Convention need to double their efforts during Convention time.

Republican friends: Let’s get to work! The clock is ticking. Keep Texas Red!

Identity Crisis in Leadership

We can’t keep Texas Red if our Republican leaders praise and support elected Democrats.  Just because an office is non-partisan under Texas law, if an elected official’s voting record is solidly Democrat, the values he relies on to make decisions are solidly Democrat.

Thus, it was stunning to see this FB post from Republican Precinct Chair and Republican Chair-elect two days ago.

GOP Chair-Elect praises Democrat Mayor

Smithville’s mayor is a solid Democrat, voting in every Democrat primary from 2010 to 2018.

These non-partisan local offices are fertile ground for future leaders. Democrats know that.  To keep Texas red, Republicans, not Democrats, should be running our cities.

Those of us who serve in Republican political party offices should understand that our primary goal is to elect Republicans.  The values of the Republican Party are our values; the goals of the Republican Party are our goals. Any elected Republican leader who supports or praises elected Democrats should immediately relinguish that leadership position. 

My goal is to keep Texas red, so giving Democrats free advertising and support isn’t in my playbook.  And when I see local elected Republican Party leaders doing so, I’ll call them out publicly on this blog.

When Republicans act like Democrats, we lose.  And, no one should undertand that better than elected Party leadership.

What’s Good for the Goose…

In his latest disgusting diatribe sent to over 500 people and published on his website, former chair Albert Ellison attacks me and the highly successful Republican Club I helped form, as follows:

She is co-founder with Chairman Raley of the controversial “Bastrop County Republican Club” […] (but which is not affiliated with the party, and its function has never been explained to the executive committee). [emphasis added]

This is a truly odd attack and, thinking you’ll never know the truth, clearly another attempt at manipulating your vote.  

Consider this:

  • Ellison’s website says it is “Supportive of, but not affiliated with, Bastrop County Republican Party”.
  • The Bastrop County Republican Club website says “The Bastrop County Republican Club is supportive of, but not affiliated with, the Republican Party of Texas or the Bastrop County Republican Party.”

And the difference is?