Dozens of GOP state House members facing challenges within party

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Wed, Feb. 15, 2006
Dozens of GOP state House members facing challenges within party
By R.A. DYERS
TAR-TELEGRAM AUSTIN BUREAU

AUSTIN — Dozens of Republican state House members face tough challenges in their own political primaries; competing GOP factions on the State Board of Education are going for each other’s throats; conservative activists have gone on the offensive against conservative lawmakers.

From Fort Worth to Fredericksburg, the GOP has gone to war with itself — with internecine battles sweeping unabated in campaign after campaign in the run-up to the March 7 primaries. And the stakes in these battles are high: Analysts say that not just political careers stand in the balance, but also major tax and education initiatives.

“It’s pretty evident that there’s a civil war going on in the Republican Party,” said Harvey Kronberg, editor of the online Quorum Report. “The conservative wing of the Republican Party is trying to purge anybody that doesn’t follow the party line. You {also} have a number of local communities that are up in arms and outraged about proposals that affect their public schools, and they are trying to beat incumbents. ... Most of what the Legislature does flies below the radar with voters, but schools and taxes are about as personal as it gets.”

At least eight GOP incumbents, including Arlington’s Kent Grusendorf, face tough primary challenges from fellow Republicans with education backgrounds.
(snip/...)

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/state/13881864.htm

[Selatius]

1. Party "purges" are an issue on both sides in a two-party duopoly

Gotta love our winner-take-all system. :sarcasm:

[salin]

2. The question is whether this is likely to a) make the party

even more reactionary in the Statehouse, or b) weaken the party by forcing too reactionary candidates into the general elections. The latter would only be the case if on the ground, voters are starting to be bothered by some of the more extreme actions of those in the leg.

[Gman]

3. Reminds me of 30+ years ago in Texas

when the real election was held during the primary. There would only be a token Republican in November. The liberal Dems and conservative (now Republicans) Dems fought tooth and nail. Then the GOP got a clue and started winning elections.

But the pendulum never stays in one place. Its always moving.

[bluestateguy]

4. This is what happens in a one party state

Divisive primaries within the majority party because in most cases the Republican nomination is tanamount to election--at least at the statewide level. This very much resembles the old southern Democratic primaries of a generation ago. Political scientist V.O. Key called them "friends and neighbors" primaries in his famous book on southern politics.