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Making an Impact
“The Lone Star Project … hammers Republicans whenever it gets a chance, promoting strong local Democratic candidates and even bringing lawsuits.”
(Roll Call, Stuart Rothenberg,
March 12, 2009)
“Anyone who questions whether [The Lone Star Project] can make life difficult for a Republican legislator should talk to former Sen. Kim Brimer.”
(Austin American Statesman, February 17, 2009)
“[The Lone Star Project] is responsible for the aggressive stance the party has taken toward DeLay and other Lone Star State Republicans since the 2004 election.”
(The Washington Post, March 6, 2006)
"David Dewhurst has said most Texans don't have much sympathy "for someone who that can't fill out a two page [health insurance] application every six months".
The Democrat-supported Lone Star Project in Washington reported this week that Dewhurst failed to file necessary forms at least six times in recent years.
(San Antonio Expres News,, 4/12/2007)
"The Justice staff memo was obtained by the Lone Star Project ...The story broke the same day the U.S. Supreme Court was considering legal challenges to the plan brought by Democrats and minority groups."
(Houston Chronicle, 12/3/2005)
"The Texas chapter of the NAACP, along with the Lone Star Project, have analyzed the amicus brief filed by the Justice Department and have concluded, justifiably, that the Voting Rights section of the Justice Department is now controlled by partisan political appointees."
(Roll Call - Donna Brazile, 2/28/2006)
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Democrats United for Bill White,
Chart Mainstream Course
Perry dominates Hutchison, moves Texas GOP even further off the edge
Mayor Bill White
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The 2010 Texas Primaries revealed the strategic approaches the two parties are taking in the upcoming General Election.
Democrats have nominated mainstream, centrist-minded candidates in an effort to broaden their party’s appeal to a wide cross-section of independent Texas voters, exemplified by Bill White’s overwhelming win in the Democratic Primary.
Conversely, Texas Republicans have adopted the more cynical tactic of moving even further to the extreme right, hoping to motivate and mobilize the most ideologically and politically extreme elements in their party. Rick Perry’s relentless attacks on Kay Bailey Hutchison provide a clear picture of the GOP tactics to be expected.
Republicans take a hard right
Rick Perry brutally extinguished Kay Bailey Hutchison, but in doing so he may have harmed the long-term prospects for his party. Hutchison entered the contest as the most popular elected official in Texas. After the barrage of Perry attacks, she was left with less than one-third of the GOP vote. Meanwhile, extreme-right Republicans Rick Perry and Debra Medina together won nearly 70 percent of the vote. Perry must now face Bill White, who has just completed service as the popular Mayor of Houston and who carries none of the Washington baggage that burdened Hutchison. Widely respected political analyst Stuart Rothenberg acknowledged Perry’s problems and White’s appeal when Rothenberg rated the Texas gubernatorial race as only a “narrow advantage” for the Republicans.
State House Dems benefit from GOP in-fighting and feuds
The AP summed up the landscape of the State House, saying:
"Rep. Tommy Merritt of Longview, chairman of the House Public Safety committee, was defeated by businessman and conservative tea party activist David Simpson in Tuesday's primary. Meanwhile, Rep. Delwin Jones of Lubbock, chairman of the House redistricting panel and one of the longest serving members of the Legislature, was headed for a runoff with tea party activist Charles Perry. " (Source: Associated Press, March 3, 2010)
In one State House race after another, center-right Republicans were defeated by far-right extremists, leaving room for Democrats to attract and win independent voters in the fall.
Texas GOP to Hispanic candidates: DO NOT ENTER
Perhaps the clearest signal of Texas GOP intolerance was the dramatic rejection of Hispanic candidates running in the Republican primary. Every Hispanic candidate facing an Anglo in the GOP primary either lost outright or was forced into a run-off. In one of the most striking upsets of the night, incumbent Railroad Commissioner Victor Carrillo was beaten by the unknown, underfunded CPA David Porter. The incumbent Carrillo, who was nominated by Perry in 2003, spent over $600,000, while challenger Porter spent less than one-tenth that sum. Despite his cash advantage, Carrillo only won about 40% of the vote. Republican campaign consultant Susan Lilly points out the obvious, "We've got the problem of an Anglo surname versus a Hispanic." (Source: Austin American-Statesman, March 3, 2010)
In Harris County, highly controversial Tax Assessor-Collector Leo Vasquez lost his primary to Don Sumners, despite having both funding and incumbency advantages. Francisco "Quico" Canseco ran second in Congressional District 23 with just 32% of the vote, despite being the most well-known and best-funded candidate in the five way primary. Canseco now heads into the runoff as the underdog.
Full results of the Primary Election are below.
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| Democratic Primary |
Republican Primary |
| Governor |
Bill White -- 75.98% 
Alma Ludivina Aguado -- 2.87%
Felix Alvarado -- 4.95%
Bill Dear -- 0.96%
Clement E. Glenn -- 1.44%
Star Locke -- 0.92%
Farouk Shami 12.83%
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Rick Perry (I) -- 51.08%
Kay Bailey Hutchison -- 30.33%
Debra Medina -- 18.57%
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| Lieutenant Governor |
Linda Chavez-Thompson -- 53.14%
Ronnie Earle -- 34.62%
Marc Katz -- 12.22%
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David Dewhurst (I) -- Uncontested
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| Attorney General |
Barbara Ann Radnofsky -- Uncontested
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Greg Abbott (I) -- Uncontested
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| Land Commissioner |
Hector Uribe -- 51.71%
Bill Burton -- 48.28%
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Jerry Patterson (I) -- Uncontested
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| Agriculture Commissioner |
Hank Gilbert -- 52.31%
Richard "Kinky" Friedman -- 47.68%
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Todd Staples (I) -- Uncontested
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| Railroad Commissioner |
Jeff Weems -- Uncontested
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David Porter -- 60.72 %
Victor G. Carrillo (I) -- 39.27% |
| Justice Supreme Court, Place 3 |
Jim Sharp -- Uncontested
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Rick Green --18.93%
Debra Lehrmann -- 18.20%
Jeff Brown -- 16.73%
Jim Moseley -- 18.13%
Rebecca Simmons -- 18.03%
Rick Strange -- 9.95% |
| Justice Supreme Court, Place 5 |
Bill Moody -- Uncontested
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Paul Green (I) -- Uncontested
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| Justice Supreme Court, Place 9 |
Blake Bailey -- Uncontested
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Eva Guzman (I) -- 65.25%
Rose Vela -- 34.74%
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| Congressional District 17 |
Chet Edwards (I) -- Uncontested
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Bill Flores -- 33.07%
Rob Curnock -- 28.71%
Timothy Delasandro -- 4.79%
Dave McIntyre -- 18.25%
Chuck Wilson -- 15.15%
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| Congressional District 23 |
Ciro Rodriguez (I) -- 83.37%
Miguel Ortiz -- 16.62%
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Will Hurd -- 33.69%
Francisco "Quico" Canseco -- 32.15%
Joseph Mack "Doc" Gould -- 5.07%
Mike Kueber -- 6.91%
Robert (Doc) Lowry -- 22.16%
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(I) - indicated Incumbents
Source: Texas Secretary of State , Unofficial Results - 8,380 of 8,380 precincts reporting |
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