Zero, Zilch, Nada: The border, Trump and the Rural vote
Here’s how the 16 Rural Republicans who stood up to Governor Gregg Abbott over vouchers fared last night against GOP Primary challenges by Abbott and his affiliated billionaires PACs.
Six were defeated:
Travis Clardy (HD 11) by Joanne Shofner
Ernest Bailes (HD-18) by Janis Holt
Hugh Shine (HD-55) by Hillary Hickman
Glenn Rogers (HD-66) by Mike Olcott
Reggie Smith (HD-62) by Shelley Luther
Steve Allison (HD-121) by Marc LaHood
Four are in a run off:
Gary Vandeaver (HD-1) 45% v Chris Spencer 43%
Justin Holland (HD-33) 38% v Katrina Pierson 39%
John Kuempel (HD-44) 45% v Alan Schoolcraft 48%
DeWayne Burns (HD-58) 41% vs Helen Kerwin 48%
Six were re-elected:
Keith Bell (HD-4)
Jay Dean (HD-7)
Stan Lambert (HD-71)
Drew Darby (HD-72)
Ken King (HD-88)
Charlie Geren (HD-99)
The School Voucher Lobby is claiming victory, a “bloodbath” actually. If they win the four run off seats and nothing else changes during the general election, and if I’m doing the math correctly, they will have exactly their 75 votes to pass a voucher bill in Texas.
It’s hard to speculate as to exactly how much money was spent to defeat these six incumbents and force a run off in the other four. But to put it into perspective, it was likely enough money to fund the budget of my small city for 10 years.
Now, let’s clear something up. These victories had zero, zilch, nada to do with a mandate for school choice. The voucher lobby used billions of out of state monies, lies, misinformation and endorsements by TRUMP to win these races. They did not win these six seats on the merits of school choice nor around lively debates for vouchers. There is no school choice movement afoot in rural Texas. These victories are the results of a massive smear campaign orchestrated by some very powerful power hungry politicians and their funders against a group of good decent men who voted their districts on vouchers.
There was plenty of proof, in my home district HD 87, which was an open seat and a voucher pick up for Abbott. We did not get one single messaging piece via TV, mail, radio, or text message stating that Abbott’s candidate was pro-voucher. The candidate herself rarely even said the words “school choice”. She was asked about vouchers a couple of times in forums and danced around it with her answer. Instead, Abbott said he needed this inexperienced, barely 25 year-old girl in the legislature to help him at the Border and then Trump weighed in too. See what I mean?
Time will tell what damage Abbott, his ambitions and his gestapo-style tactics have done to the heart of Texas Republican Party. We may not see the impact in November, but a friend quoted his grandpa last night saying “money talks, bullshit walks” and eventually those lies will come to roost.
In Rural Texas I fear there is immediate danger. These candidates did not run to earn our votes to be an advocate for rural Texas. There was very little focus on how they would work to address rural concerns such as water, broadband or rural healthcare. They don’t have ideas to protect agricultural producers or to improve rural economic development, and there were no proposals to protect vulnerable communities from wildfires or improve resources during natural disasters. I fear these new legislators aren’t our people and they won’t stand with us. So we better stay alert. They are candidates loyal to the Conservative Corporation of Dunn, Wilks, Abbott, et al.
My “Mr. Texas” Glenn Rogers said it best, “God Save Texas.”