What Happened to Republicans?

What Happened to Republicans?
Randy A. Samuelson

Just ten years ago, the Republican Party of Texas was working towards being the majority party in Texas for the first time since Reconstruction. Now, it is 2008 and Republicans are about to lose the majority that was held for only a brief moment in history. What went wrong?

In 1960, John Tower was elected as Senator, marking the first Republican elected statewide in Texas since 1874. From there, the conservative revolution began in Texas with Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. Republicans, through extensive grassroots efforts, worked hard to elect Republicans in the general elections in the 1970’s, culminating in Governor Bill Clements in 1978. In the 1980’s, Republicans convinced many conservative Democrats to switch parties, including Senator Phil Gramm. In the 1990’s, the Republicans went for the gusto and worked toward becoming the majority party in the Texas Legislature by winning the Texas Senate, and in 1998, Republicans took control of the Texas cabinet by sweeping the statewide elected positions. In 2002, Republicans took control of the Texas House for the first time since 1877.

What happened?

It is now 2008 and the primary is upon us. Republicans in 2008 are at risk of losing the majority in the Texas House. Governor Perry was re-elected in a plurality election in 2006 in which 60% of Texans voted against him and his policies. Republicans, who drew Congressional seats for themselves, lost those seats to Democrats in 2006 (Bonilla and DeLay). The Republican Party Headquarters is more concerned about fundraising than block-walking.

Many people will say that Democrats are tarnishing the Republicans’ voting records, but is that really the case? Republicans deserve their poor voting records in many cases as they have created a new business tax and increased spending at both the local and state level. But, if these elected officials are voting their districts, can they really be blamed?

The Democrats in Texas are employing the same strategies that knocked them out of the majority party over the past 30 years. The Democrats are running one polished candidate that adheres to their platform against a field of Republicans who represent a factionalized GOP base. The Democrats are also recruiting young workers in the same fashion that the Republicans recruited in the 1970’s. By focusing on the down-ballot races and at grassroots efforts, Democrats are planning to take back power in the same way that the Republicans did in the 1990’s.

The 2008 Republican Primary is loaded with young candidates who are running to move the Party back to the platform and competing with candidates who strive to increase the role and power of government. This will be a bellwether election as to which direction the Republican Party in Texas will move to. If the winning candidates support expanding the role of government, spending increases, and tax increases, then the conservative movement needs to rethink its positions and marketing strategies. Maybe Republicans in the Texas Legislature are better off in the minority party so they can complain about issues louder instead of leading the conservative cause.