Buckingham Embarks on Land Boss Bid
with Vows to Protect History and Heritage
Capitol Inside
June 7, 2021
State Senator Dawn Buckingham transformed a raging cultural war into a launching pad for higher office on Monday when she confirmed that she plans to run for Texas land chief in 2022.
A Lakeway Republican who's in the final year of a debut term as a legislator, Buckingham sought to get a jump on the competition in the quest to replace Land Commissioner George P. Bush next year when he runs for state attorney general.
Buckingham, who's an eye surgeon, said she will have a war chest with more than $2 million at the outset of the open race that she could be the early favorite to win as a result. Buckingham suggested that she will be receiving endorsements from other statewide leaders as the fight unfolds.
The list of potential contenders for land boss could include multiple Texas lawmakers with GOP State Reps. Kyle Biedermann of Fredericksburg and James White of HIllister being mentioned as possible primary candidates. Democratic State Rep. Leo Pacheco of San Antoinio has appeared to show some interest in a contest for land commissioner as well.
Buckingham outlined a vision for the state land and resource manager role beyond its current scope.
"It's my goal as your next Texas land commissioner to safeguard the heroes who served in our military, protect our exceptional natural resources, and protect our unique Texas heritage, especially the Alamo," Buckingham declared.
The focus on the past is a spinoff of GOP attempts at the Capitol to restrict the ability of Texas schools to teach the truth about the defining role that race and slavery had in the history of the country and the state,
With Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick dictating every move, Senate Republicans exhumed a critical race theory ban from the grave and forwarded it to Governor Greg Abbott before the regular session ended last week in a move that may have been illegal.
Buckingham said she'd be running on a "strong conservative record" with votes to protect the oil and gas industry, Second Amendment rights and the taxpayers. She appears poised to focus on issues that fire up the base like border security, guns and abortion even though there would be little she could do as the state land boss to affect.
Buckingham is coming off her third and most productive regular session - having served as the chief author on an expansion of lelemedicine, significant sunset legislation and other topics that deal with the state's rea needs.
Buckingham, who's an eye surgeon, was one of four Senate Republicans who signed a conference committee report on a voting restriction bill that House Democrats killed with a walkout on the final night last month for passing votes. Buckingham said she'd be ready to tackle election integrity again in a special session that will unfold in concert with her campaign.
Buckingham may have scored some points with the conservative base with bills that she passed with homeless camping restrictions and the availability of Bible courses in Texas public schools.
Based in rank on Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick's formal list of priorities, Buckingham's signature accomplishment in regular session would be her part as the Senate sponsor of the historic Star Spangled Banner Protection Act.
The new law that the Legislature adopted in Senate Bill 4 will require professional sports teams to play the national anthem before home games or face the threat of sanctions from the state. The measure is purely symbolic in light of the fact that all of the major league athletic teams already play the anthem. But the anthem mandate is historically significant nonetheless as a novel attempt by government to regulate patriotism with restrictions on private industry.
Buckingham chaired the Senate Nominations Committee in 2019 and again this year as a major Patrick ally. After a brief stint on the Lake Travis school board, Buckingham won an open Senate race in 2016 after a primary runoff victory over a female state lawmaker from the Abilene area in the district's northern half. The Republicans tapped Buckingham to head the party's victory effort when the GOP successfully defended all of the statewide offices on the Texas ballot in 2018. |
