August 8, 2006

GOP Affiliation Doesn't Guarantee Candidates
Young Conservatives' Support for Fall Election

Eleven Republican Incumbents in Congress and Legislature
and Every Single Democrat Fail to Win YCT Endorsements

By Mike Hailey
Capitol Inside Editor

The Young Conservatives of Texas declared to be setting aside "all notions of partisanship" on Tuesday when releasing its list of endorsements for the general election this fall. But that doesn't mean it supports any Democrats.

What seemed to be saying was that candidates can't expect to receive an automatic endorsement simply because their Republican nominees. The group punctuated that message by refusing to take sides in contested re-election races involving one Republican incumbent from Texas in Congress, two state senators who are GOP members and eight state representatives who have R's by their names.

The YCT also declined to make endorsements in eleven legislative races in which candidates from both major parties are battling including five state House contests and one state Senate fight that pit Republican challengers against incumbent Democrats.

"Texas has always been led by a strong, small-government conservative philosophy," YCT Legislative Affairs Chairman Christopher Richey said while unveiling the group's general election endorsements. "However, recent growth in partisanship has misled voters. Not every candidate represents the ideals of his or her party affiliation. YCT sets aside all notions of partisanship and seeks to present to Texas candidates who are through and through conservative."

Eighteen Republican members of the Texas congressional delegation and four GOP candidates who are trying to knock off incumbent Democrats received YCT's support for the fall vote. U.S. Rep. Kay Granger of Fort Worth was the only Texas Republican in Congress to be snubbed by the group when it announced its preferences for the November 7 general election. YCT also refused to endorse former Democratic state House member Paul Haring of Goliad in his bid as a Republican to unseat U.S. Rep. Ruben Hinojosa in a district where a federal judicial panel has ordered a special election to be held in conjunction with the general election as a result of modifications to the Texas congressional map.

State Senators Kip Averitt of McGregor and Jeff Wentworth of San Antonio were the only two Republicans who face opposition in bids for re-election to the Legislature's upper chamber to get the cold shoulder from YCT. The group also refused to throw its support behind Republican challenger Dee Margo in his race against State Senator Eliot Shapleigh of El Paso and Dick Bowen in a battle against State Rep. Carlos Uresti of San Antonio for an open Texas Senate seat. Brown is also from El Paso.

YCT withheld an endorsement in the race for Congressional District 22 as a result of litigation that's been pending in connection with the state GOP's push to replace former Congressman Tom DeLay on the ballot this fall. The legal squabble appeared to end Monday when U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Scalia rejected the Texas Republican Party's appeal of lower rulings barring a replacement nominee.

The Texas House Republicans who will be facing opposition from Democrats, Libertarians or both this fall without YCT's support are State Reps. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth, Toby Goodman of Arlington, Tony Goolsby of Dallas, Pat Haggerty of El Paso, Mike Hamilton of Mauriceville, Delwin Jones of Lubbock, Tommy Merritt of Longview and Joe Straus of San Antonio.

All of the state House Republican members who YCT did not endorse have Democratic opponents with the exception of Straus, whose only fall foe is a Libertarian candidate. Goodman and Goolsby are both fighting for re-election in districts that Democrats have targeted and think they can win. Granger expects to breeze to re-election against a Democratic opponent and a Libertarian contender who haven't raised any money for the CD 12 race. Averitt faces a Libertarian but has no Democratic opponent in his bid for re-election while Wentworth is heavily favored over a Democrat who hasn't had the resources to mount a serious threat.

Republican state Houise nominees who failed to win the support of YCT include Diane Patrick of Arlington, Drew Darby of San Angelo and Thomas Latham of Sunnyvale - a trio of challengers who scored primary election knockouts against State Reps. Kent Grusendorf, Scott Campbell and Elvira Reyna respectively this year. YCT also declined to give its support to GOP state House nominees Susan King and Jimmie Don Aycock, who face Democratic foes for open seats in state House districts with substantial Republican majorities. Aycock, King, Darby, Patrick and Latham were all backed by the education community in contested primary battles this year.