Posted on 02/22/2016 8:21:30 PM PST by County Agent Hank Kimball
SAN ANTONIO - Before an address to a Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Wednesday, State Rep. and House Speaker Joe Straus discussed his record that he said included cutting taxes and promoting job growth.
When asked about challenger Jeff Judson's suggestions in his advertising that Straus represents special interests, Straus said, "A smear campaign isn't going to work in the district that I represent, and it's not going to work across the state."
"People know that Texas Republican legislators have done very, very well in recent years," he added.
Greeting voters at an early voting site in the district, Judson said, "I'm a true conservative, and I think Joe campaigns as a Republican but governs like a Democrat."
"I work with Democrats and Republicans very well on things that people really care about," Judson said. "And not the special interest things in Austin that people really don't care about."
The third Republican candidate in the race, Shiela Bean, sent the following statement to KSAT 12 for this story:
"I'm the best candidate in this race because of my conservative principles and experience as a classroom teacher and small business owner. Joaquin Castro has not said anything positive about my leadership, as he has for Joe Straus. I look forward to providing conservative representation for the people of District 121."
He's getting primaried by a real conservative named Jeff Judson.
We could see a replay of the Dave Brat/Eric Cantor election. If Straus gets beat you'll see some REAL conservative stuff coming out of the TX legislature.
Hank
Of the three top menaces in Texas politics with an “R” after their name that must be defeated:
#1, Joe Straus
#2, George Pee Bush
#3, John Cornyn
I wish I lived in 121 to vote against this RINO. Thankfully, my parents do and already have.
Strauss needs to go!
Joe Straus, exhibit A in why the anti 17thers are off their rockers.
The Texas House is very different from the US House. There is no minority party in the Texas lege.
Any and all members of the Texas House that run for the job of Speaker has to have democrats in his alliance. He can't get elected without democrats.
The Texas Senate is different from the Texas House in that the Texas Senate president is the Lt Gov and is elected by the voters. Even tho the Texas Senate president is elected by the voters, to implement his agenda, he also has to have democrats in his alliance
So, both the Texas House Speaker and the Texas Senate President assign democrats to the committees that they serve on and both are very mindful of which democrats they assign to which committees because that is how they each build their democrat inclusive governing alliance
“17thers?”
Hank
Well you see Hank, a bunch of freepers frequently bring up the completely nutball (and unviable, not that they care) idea of repealing the 17th amendment of the constitution and going back to having politicians in state legislatures choose US Senators (most often the leaders would be making the choice). Some people like Mark Levin and Alan Keyes have advanced the idea.
That fact that a RINO rules over the State House in one our BEST states is pretty damn hard proof of what a terrible idea that is. And until he lost Dewcrist ruled over the State Senate, if I’m not mistaken EVERY GOP Senator save 1 endorsed him over Cruz. He’d be a US Senator today.
The dems would team up with RINOS to elect RINOS in pretty much every GOP controlled state.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endorsements_for_the_Republican_Party_presidential_primaries,_2016
Jeb Bush, for example, has no fewer than 55 FL state representatives who endorsed him for President. Ted Cruz has the endorsement of 1 FL state legislator.
John Kasich has the endorsement of no fewer than 37 OH state representatives, and 23 OH state senators. Ted Cruz has 0 members of the OH legislature endorsing him.
But gosh, things would be sooooooooooo much better if those guys were picking our U.S. Senators for us.
I see. Well said.
Thank you for that. And I agree 100 percent. I would suspect neither Mike Lee or Rand Paul would be senators either. Or Jeff Sessions in all likelihood.
Hank
Joe Straus is *not* a RINO - he’s a Dimocrat who somehow manages to put an R after his name.
He is an ass, and an embarrassment.
The Texas Senate also differs from the House in that the GOP holds a 20-11 majority, and can pass any damn thing they want, no matter how the Dims natter on.
I don’t suppose it would do any good to point out to you that Cruz neither hails from Florida nor Ohio?
Suffice it to say, that might account at least in part for his lack of support in those 2 states?
Hmmm?
Go to JeffJudson.com
This guy sounds like the real deal; head of the Texas Public Policy Institute, fellow of the Heartland Institute...
I’m sending a contribution since I can’t vote for him.
Good idea.
Hank
But, as you see from reading the thread, the issue is about who controls the GOP.
Most frame it as moderates versus rightwingers. But in Texas, one of the main conflicts is between rural and urban.
I know this thread is over a year old but I take great pleasure in an update.
Joe Straus, the Speaker of the Texas House, announced yesterday that he will retire.
A few minutes after that my representative Byron Cook, one of his best helpers, also announced he was not going to run again.
It is a red letter day for Texas! Yea!!!!!!
I believe that the draining of the swamp has carried over from DC to Texas.
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