Report from the Republican Party of Texas Convention

I was a delegate to the Republican Party of Texas State Convention this weekend, and after spending 4 days in the front of the George R. Brown listening to speeches, I thought I'd report. All of the real business involved settling some internal party struggles about rules and openness, so I won't bore you with that.

It is clear that, at least within Texas, this election is not about John McCain, it is about Barack Obama. Among speakers, Obama got probably twice as many mentions as McCain, and substantial parts of Obama's policy probably 3-4 times as many mentions as McCain's.

Most of the speeches on substance centered around the relative health of the Texas economy, and energy issues. Other issues used for applause lines were illegal immigration, border security, and the Trans-Texas Corridor.

The two headliners were Newt Gingrich and Mike Huckabee. Newt gave a humor-packed speech with dozens of legitimate comparisons between free-market solutions, bureaucracies, and over-regulated markets. Huckabee gave a sermon, in which he made the dangerous (in my mind) assertion that we have government expansion and infringement on our rights because we are immoral.

All of State Executives, state-wide party officers, and a few legislators, judges, and state board members gave speeches. Other than possibly Newt's, the best speech of the convention was given by Michael Williams, Railroad Commissioner. I talked to his political director, and he is positioning himself for a future Senate run, plans to help John Cornyn this summer, and is working on portraying himself as a serious political figure. Here's his speech:

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The real loser of the conventioneering contest was Lt. Governor David Dewhurst. When he mentioned the Real ID act, and spending money to put fingerprints on drivers licenses, he got booed heavily, and never regained the crowd. I've never seen a crowd turn on a speaker like they did him.

 

Not sure yet. I didn't get a delegate spot, but two of my friends were elected as alternates, and one of them has offered to let me have his guest spot. I'm going to talk to the national Republican Liberty Caucus and see if they need volunteers. I do have a plane ticket, but I may get it transferred to a friend.

 

A toll interstate highway to be run along either the route of I-35 or US59. If it were to match the governor's wishlist, we will have a 12 lane road with room for rail and pipeline in the middle, and no border checkpoint. A Spanish company was going to build the road and collect the tolls. It's been recently put on hold by TXDOT after much opposition from property owners along the proposed routes.

 

To conform to the Real ID act (which a few states are refusing to do). It's a federal mandate, and his justification is that it makes the licenses less likely to be forged.

Yes. A property rights advocate named Paul Perry ran against her, but only won 3 of 32 Senate Districts.

 

I should be clear: The TTC has been a big push by Governor Perry, but most lower level Republicans have fought against it. The applause lines came from people opposing it.

 

Perry isn't on an island on supporting the TTC. Tom Staples (Ag Commissioner) is definitely for it, and I'm sure some other executives are as well. The leading opposition among the executives has been from Jerry Patterson (Land Commisioner). (Dewhurst also opposes it, but he has had his eye on the Governor's mansion for a while, so I have my doubts on his sincerity.) Tom Craddick has been one of the most outspoken supporters, and was almost overthrown as speaker because of it. It's been on the burner since 2005, and the same three supported it then. Still, your suspicion of Perry's motives is well-placed.

There was a push in 2005 from commercial interests to change laws about mixed-funding (tax and toll) for roads to enable this.

A lot of the people who oppose it, myself included, do want a scaled-down version with free roads to be built. A better North-South route through East Texas would be good for commerce, and I-35 needs expansion. It's the size and scope of the project, as well as the tolls on roads that were partially paid for with tax dollars that offends me.

 

One other thing, that took me by surprise. There was a well-organized, unofficial, grass-roots push for the Kay Bailey Hutchison for Governor campaign, and the supporters were bold. People were handing out stickers that said "KBH for GOV" within a few feet of Rick Perry's booth where he was selling his Boy Scout book.