On Monday, December 13th, Texans across the State will be rallying to send a message to their elected servants:

"LISTEN TO TEXANS!"

CLICK HERE FOR THE LISTEN TO TEXANS RALLY NEAR YOU!

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Ratings obtained via Project Vote Smart.

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Ratings obtained via Project Vote Smart.

For Immediate Release
Nov. 11, 2010
Contact: Rep. Jodie Laubenberg
972/429-1334

 
State Rep. Jodie Laubenberg Announces Support for Ken Paxton in race for Texas House Speaker
 

(Parker, TX) - HD 89 State Representative Jodie Laubenberg has withdrawn her name from the supporter list of Texas House Speaker Joe Straus and announced her support for State Representative Ken Paxton. Laubenberg, who represents Rockwall and Collin Counties, has worked closely with Rep. Paxton as a member of the Collin County delegation.
 
Laubenberg said, “Ken and I came to the Texas House together back in 2003 and since that time he has become one of my closest friends. Ken is one of the most admired, respected, and hardworking legislators in Austin. His commitment to conservative principles is unquestionable, and his integrity is indisputable.
 
Over the past several weeks, I’ve listened to my constituents who have said they want a conservative speaker. My constituents worked hard to elect a strong Republican majority and they have the right to have a voice in selecting our next speaker. They hold the utmost respect for Ken Paxton, and I agree with them wholeheartedly.
 
Ken has the intelligence, the leadership skills, and the tenacity to get things done. He knows the value of building strong relationships. He treats the legislative process and all involved with the greatest respect. Ken has all of the qualities necessary to make an excellent Speaker
for the Texas House.”
 
POL. ADV. PAID FOR BY JODIE LAUBENBERG CAMPAIGN, P.O. BOX 1154, WYLIE, TEXAS 75098

NOT PRINTED OR MAILED AT STATE EXPENSE

For Immediate Release - November 11, 2010

Contact: Ken Paxton – (469) 742-0100

State Rep. Ken Paxton Announces Bid for Texas House Speaker

“Historic Opportunities Demand Bold Action”

(McKinney, TX) – In announcing his bid for Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, State Rep. Ken Paxton today issued the following statement:

“Today, on Veterans Day, we honor the service of those who have given so much to our state and nation, many of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice. It seems appropriate that we focus on how we can best protect our hard-won freedoms which are increasingly under attack.

On Election Day, we witnessed a monumental shift in the political climate, and I believe that historic opportunities demand bold action in defense of our conservative values. Voters across Texas sent a clear message that they favor leadership dedicated to protecting our freedoms and fighting government growth. Texans have provided us with an historic mandate, and they expect us to use this mandate to honestly advance conservative principles and not simply protect the status quo. These goals can only be accomplished with a conservative Speaker.

In January, members of the Texas State Legislature have a unique opportunity and an obligation to do more than simply balance the budget without raising taxes. We also have an opportunity to:

·         Implement measures to reduce property taxes permanently over time;

·         Aggressively fight back on the federal government’s invasion on the rights of Texans, and in fact reclaim our state sovereignty;

·         Limit our state government’s ability to grow beyond the rate of inflation and population;

·         Pass true immigration reform and implement photo id;

·         Provide opportunities for individuals and families to make important decisions such as health care options that are free from governmental intrusion and mandates; and

·         Challenge ourselves to bring solutions to the table that create jobs, sustain economic prosperity, and continue to make Texas a shining light for generations to come.

Republicans have the opportunity to unify behind a conservative Speaker who can effectively lead our Party on the principles our citizens espouse. As someone who has continuously served as an advocate for conservative principles, I am announcing my candidacy for the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.

Texans have clearly asked us to advance their values, promote conservative policies and follow a path of long-term economic prosperity, and I stand ready to serve as the leader to accomplish these goals. I welcome the opportunity to work with my colleagues in the Legislature to address the critical issues we face and implement real solutions that will benefit all Texans.”

#####

5613 S. Woodcreek Circle « McKinney, Texas 75070 « 469.742.0100

Rep. Ken Paxton is throwing his hat into the ring to challenge incumbent House Speaker Joe Straus.  Many of you are asking, 'Who is Ken Paxton?'

Ken Paxton Bio:

Ken Paxton is currently serving as State Representative for Texas State House District 70, which consists of Frisco, Allen, and McKinney.

Paxton is an attorney in private practice in McKinney.  He and his wife Angela have four children.

Paxton is very popular with his constituents, receiving more general election votes than any other state representative in 2004.

In office, Paxton has gained a reputation as a fiscal hawk.  He was twice named "Texas Taxpayer Hero" by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility.

Ken Paxton's Blog:

http://kenpaxton.blogspot.com/

Ken Paxton Consservative Interest Group Ratings:

2002  Gun Owners of America 100 percent.

2004  National Rifle Association A.

2005  Young Conservatives of Texas 97 percent.

2006  National Rifle Association A.

2007  Americans for Prosperity Texas 96.2 percent.
2007  Texans for Fiscal Responsibility 100 percent.
2007  Young Conservatives of Texas 96 percent.

2008  National Rifle Association A.

2009  Americans for Prosperity Texas 101 (?) percent.
2009  Heritage Alliance - Economic Issues 92 percent.
2009  Texans for Fiscal Responsibility 100 percent.
2009  Young Conservatives of Texas 97 percent.

Additional interest group ratings here:

http://img.votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=49425

Click image for larger scan:

This is the letter Rep. Leo Berman of Tyler recently sent to the House Freshman Class:

Congratulations to all of you for the hard work and time you put in to campaign and win.  You have a great opportunity to do great things for Texas, for your constituents and families.   We now have a CONSERVATIVE House, with a LIBERAL Speaker.  You’ve read many things about getting rid of Joe Straus.  I was there.  Let me tell you why it must be done!
 
1.       11 Republicans broke off from the remaining Republicans seeking their own Speaker rather than Conservative Tom Craddick.  Among them were Straus, Cook, Eissler, Keffer,, Solomons,  Keumpel (Who passed away suddenly), Bryan McCall, Tommy Merritt, Delwin Jones, Geren. Straus and 5 others now remain in the House.  The 11 cast several votes among themselves and Straus, with only 2 ½  years experience got the most votes.  It takes 76 votes to become Speaker.  They needed 65 Democrats. To get that number, Straus promised no bills on illegal aliens, no pro-life bills and no voter-ID bill.  The Dems loved it and Straus became Speaker while compromising his Integrity.  His discussion with Democrats became an article in the Austin Statesman, especially with liberal caucus leader Trey Martinez Fisher.
 
2.       They won the Speakership, but the next thing they did was to keep Conservatives’ bills tied up in committee.  They PUNISHED conservatives.
 
3.       When I saw no bills on illegal aliens got out of Solomons State Affairs Committees, I noticed that Democrats were bringing bills to the floor that actually funneled millions of dollars to illegal aliens.  I began to amend each of them with a simple amendment.  It said, “these benefits are for US citizens only.   The Democrats complained to Straus.  Straus came to my desk.  He asked me what he could do for me to stop amending the Democrats bills.  He offered to hear one of my bills in Solomons committee.I couldn’t believe what I heard.  I asked him if he had not taken the same oath of office that I took.  I told him to leave quickly before I lost my temper.
 
4.       Senator Dan Patrick had a great pro-life bill which would require a woman, seeking an abortion, to view a sonogram of her child before going through with the procedure.  It died in Solomons Committee.
 
5.       Finally, Joe Straus himself, allowed the Democrat Speaker Pro-Tem to delay the local and consent calendar for 5 days for the purpose of killing the VOTER-ID bill which 96% of all Republicans in Texas wanted passed.
 
If you can support Straus or any of his cohorts, you compromise your own integrity.  This is not what those who helped you win want to see you do and you can expect to hear from them.  Vote for a true experienced Conservative who will lead us through a difficult session VOTE FOR REP.WARREN CHISUM!        LEO BERMAN , A 12 YEAR CONSERVATIVE FROM Tyler, Texas.

Texas House Speaker Joe Straus claims he has the support of 130 members of the Texas State House of Representatives in his bid for reelection.

Is your state representative one of those members supporting Joe Straus?  If you don't know, you can ask them via the contact information below.

DALLAS COUNTY:

District 101 - Mesquite/Sunnyvale - Cindy Burkett

 cindy@cindyburkett.org
 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cindy-Burkett-for-Texas-House-District-101/186809954680
 972-824-2146

District 102 - Dallas/Garland - Stefani Carter

 stefani@carterfortexas.com
 http://www.facebook.com/CarterForTexas
 972-385-3313

District 105 - Irving - Linda Harper-Brown

 lhbcampaign@yahoo.com
 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-Harper-Brown/85468618090
 972-432-9919 (Campaign)
 214-533-2047 (Campaign)
 972-717-2871 (Irving)
 512-463-0641 (Austin)
 512-463-0044 (Fax)
 972-717-2893 (Fax)

District 106 - Grand Prairie - Rodney Anderson

 rodneya68@sbcglobal.net
 http://www.facebook.com/rodneyanderson106
 214-679-4106
 214-293-8067

District 107 - Dallas/Garland - Kenneth Sheets

 kenneth.sheets107@gmail.com
 http://www.facebook.com/kennethsheets
 214-887-1978

District 108 - Highland Park - Dan Branch

 info@danbranch.com
 http://www.facebook.com/TexansforDan
 214-745-5444 (Campaign)
 512-463-0367 (Austin)
 512-322-9935 (Fax)
 214-745-5768 (Dallas)
 214-745-5883 (Fax)

District 112 - Richardson - Angie Chen Button

 angiechenbutton112@gmail.com
 http://www.facebook.com/RepButton
 512-463-0486 (Austin)
 972-234-8980 (Richardson)
 972-470-0789 (Fax)

District 113 - Garland/Rowlett - Joe Driver

 RepDriver113@gmail.com
 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joe-Driver/143140079048672
 972-276-7371 (Campaign)
 512-463-0574 (Austin)
 512-463-1481 (Fax)
 972-276-1556 (Garland)
 972-276-8207 (Fax)

District 114 - Dallas - Will Hartnett

 http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1031369966
 512-463-0576 (Austin)
 512-463-7827 (Fax)
 214-891-1776 (Dallas)
 214-891-1693 (Fax)

District 115 - Carrollton - Jim Jackson

 jim@repjimjackson.com
 http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000517686057&v=wall
 972-418-9395 (Campaign)
 512-463-0468 (Austin)
 512-463-1044 (Fax)
 972-416-7698 (Carrollton)
 972-418-1304 (Fax)

Via Statesman.com:

Some 46 conservative activists and tea party leaders from around the state sent current and incoming members of the Texas House a letter today urging them to replace Republican Speaker Joe Straus.

“A change to a more conservative speaker is in order,” the letter says. “The voters who labored hard for this conservative majority expect it to diligently represent their conservative values.”

Signers include Michael Quinn Sullivan of Empower Texans, Peggy Venable of Americans for Prosperity of Texas, Dave Welch of the Texas Pastor Council and the presidents of nine tea party groups from around Texas.

The letter says, “The victory of nearly two dozen conservative Republican legislators reflects the mood of Texas voters on the state’s critical issues. It was a clarion call for conservative leadership in the Texas House - leadership that has been absent the past two years. The desire for conservative leadership must be reflected from the Office of the Speaker to every committee chairmanship.

 

You can read the full letter here.

Your thoughts?  Please weigh in below.

In the November 2 election, the people of Texas elected 99 Republicans to the 150-member Texas State House of Representatives.  Texans who voted for a Republican candidate for State Representative may be surprised to learn that control of the Texas State House may nonetheless remain in the hands of a leadership team elected by the House Democrats in the prior legislative session.

As things currently stand, incumbent Speaker Joe Straus is on track to be reelected.  Across the State of Texas, grassroots activists are working to organize opposition to Straus' reelection.  Here is a rundown of the relevant background:

Dallas Morning News : Joe Straus' trip to becoming Texas House speaker was a wild ride

Houston Chronicle : Republican gains in Texas House may pose challenge to speaker post

State Republican Executive Committee Resolution Supporting a Unified Republican Caucus Choice for Speaker of the House

David Barton : Danger to Conservative Growth in Texas: Texas House Speaker Joe Straus & His Lieutenants

Michael Quinn Sullivan : Straus & The Stealth Dems

NumbersUSA : Oppose Joe Straus

Chisum, Strauss Ready for Texas House Speaker’s Battle

Straus says race for Texas House speaker is over

Chisum still wants to be speaker; Straus boasts nearly 130 pledges

In an article published today, Sen. Jim DeMint published his advice to the newly-elected Senate conservatives:

Many of the people who will be welcoming the new class of Senate conservatives to Washington never wanted you here in the first place. The establishment is much more likely to try to buy off your votes than to buy into your limited-government philosophy. Consider what former GOP senator-turned-lobbyist Trent Lott told the Washington Post earlier this year: "As soon as they get here, we need to co-opt them."

 

Don't let them. Co-option is coercion. Washington operates on a favor-based economy and for every earmark, committee assignment or fancy title that's given, payback is expected in return. The chits come due when the roll call votes begin. This is how big-spending bills that everyone always decries in public always manage to pass with just enough votes.

 

But someone can't be bribed if they aren't for sale.

Full article here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704141104575588612828579920.html

In a letter dated October 28, Dallas County Democratic Party Executive Director Steve Tillery warned his fellow Democrats that the 'Tea Baggers' are coming to watch the polls, and he encouraged them to prevent the 'Tea Baggers' from 'loitering' or 'taking pictures of voters' at a polling place.  Click image for the pdf:

Please note that you have a right to speak to voters and electioneer so long as it is outside of the 100-foot marker.  Within the 100-foot marker, you may not loiter or electioneer--but you CAN wear a Gadsden flag.

We're not aware of a specific rule or law against taking pictures outside of the 100-foot rule.  If you are working for a candidate, campaign or party outside of the 100-foot line, and someone harasses you, please contact the candidate, campaign or party for guidance.  Each has a team of election lawyers on call to address these issues.

With the final early voting numbers in, the good news for the Dallas County Republicans is that early voting turnout was up 50% in the county's most heavily-Republican precincts.

The good news for the Dallas County Democrats is that early voting turnout was up even more in the most heavily-Democrat precincts.

The graph below shows the percentage change between the 2006 early voting numbers and the 2010 early voting numbers.  The blue bars on the left represent selected precincts traditionally supporting Democrat candidates by 95% or more, while the red bars on the right represent a selected precincts traditionally supporting Republican candidates by 65% or more on election day:

PLEASE NOTE : the above chart reflects turnout in a relative handful of party-aligned precincts as a general indicator of voter enthusiasm.  It is not necessarily a prediction as to the outcome of any political race.

Questions?  Comments?  Please weigh in below.