The much-anticipated March 4th Primary Election in Texas marked another major step toward the reshaping of a Texas government to accurately reflect the Pro-Life sentiments of the people of Texas. Texas Right to Life PAC achieved our top three goals and gained some bonus Pro-Life seats in both the State Senate and the State House.
1. Texas Right to Life PAC successfully defended the three Pro-Life State House members challenged by establishment moderates and House leadership.
Representatives Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford), Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler), and Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) are all undaunted, bold Pro-Life voices in the State House. The fact that the moderate establishment could only mount three challenges to the Pro-Life movement is a testament to the growing impotency of the aging RINOs.
These three incumbents earned the coveted support of a conservative coalition that includes Texas Right to Life, Texas Eagle Forum, the Texas Home School Coalition, Empower Texans, and the Tea Party; other organizations are expected to soon join our new strategic collaboration of the disparate elements of the conservative movement.
Despite the vicious lies and outside dollars spent by the unholy cabal of pro-abortion democrats, crony capitalists, opportunists, and moderate Republicans, the RINO challengers were shellacked: Stickland won by 65%; Schaefer won by 61%; and Perry won by 73%.
To God be the glory!
2. Defeat the State Senator who was ranked the most liberal Republican.
Former incumbent (as of last night) John Carona (R-Dallas) had been a senator for 24 long years. According to Mark P. Jones, chairman of the Rice University political science department, Carona was the most liberal Republican in the State Senate.
The RINOs in the State Senate have become an increasing problem toward the passage of any Pro-Life bills (and other conservative measures) with covert shenanigans in the closed-door caucus meetings producing watered-down amendments and limp strategies. The establishment Republicans are in fact more problematic than the openly pro-abortion Democrats. The pro-abortion Democrats at least tell us to our face what they think and how they will really vote.
(For example, the Democrats lost a House seat to long-time incumbent and proudly liberal Lon Burnam (D-Fort Worth). Though opposed to Pro-Life bills, Lon would listen to our positions, ask thoughtful questions, show courtesy, and then confirm that he would not vote for our bills. This discourse is much more appreciated and helpful than one who pays lip service, lies, flip-flops, and ultimately sells out in exchange for popularity in the caucus meetings.)
In the last election cycle, Texas Right to Life was instrumental in the defeat of the last openly pro-abortion former Senator RINO, Jeff Wentworth. This cycle, the goal was to remove another senator who could no longer be trusted. John Carona fit the bill. After committing to oppose a bill that expanded euthanasia (SB 303) and promising to notify us if he changed his mind, he forgot that part about notifying us when he flip-flopped and worked against our efforts to defend the lives of the ailing who are threatened by hospitals and their death panels. A very strong candidate, Don Huffines, successfully rose to the formidable challenge of taking on the 24-year establishment incumbent.
Texas Right to Life PAC and all the true conservative organizations proudly and unapologetically supported Huffines against Carona. Defeating an entrenched senator is an accomplishment we never would have thought possible as recently as five years ago.
3. Defeat at least one State House member who veered left of center by avowing fealty to problematic leadership. (We defeated THREE such mods!)
In the last cycle, Rep. Giovani Capriglione and Rep. Steve Toth, underdogs who challenged moderates in the 2012 primaries, demonstrated that wearing-out-the-shoe-leather, spending quality time with voters, and standing on principle is a sure recipe to defeat lukewarm incumbents.
To continue our Spring House-cleaning, Texas Right to Life PAC took some big risks by endorsing a few more underdogs who then handily beat three establishment House incumbents yesterday: Tony Tinderholt in HD 94 (Arlington) won with 55%; Molly White pleasantly surprised by winning with 54% in HD 55 (Temple), and long-time friend of Texas Right to Life, Matt Rinaldi pushed over the top with 50.6% in HD 115 (Carrollton). Despite the odds, the funds, and the attacks on us and on our candidates, we are reminded that a solid Pro-Life message and sincerity about Texas values beats buying media to paint a false picture.
The fact that moderates could only challenge three conservatives (and suffer humiliating defeats in each of those races) AND were forced to defend a dozen seats against Constitution-reading, freedom-loving, Life-defending challengers will not be lost on current House members conflicted about representing their voters or winning favor with leadership. One cannot serve two masters well. The message about extremism and moderation is clear: Stand for our values, or stand alone in your election.
Since a few moderates escaped defeat and were re-elected, predictably, the liberal media (e.g., Texas Tribune, Quorum Report, Austin American Statesman, New York Times, et al.) and small, local political groups are desperately trying to spin yesterday’s election results as victories for themselves—or more accurately, the defeat of the Tea Party and Pro-Lifers.
However, in context of Texas Right to Life’s electoral goals, the March 4th elections were truly monumental for the conservative cause as a whole, including the protection of Life, and a manifestation of the growing influence of our partnerships with other like-minded organizations.
The Texas Pro-Life movement gains seats every election cycle, and the moderate establishment loses seats. Last night was no exception: We took big risks, fought hard, and gained much ground last night.
Texas is the epicenter of the conservative, Pro-Life revolution, and the huge victories for the conservative movement prove we are winning and that the entrenched, moderate establishment RINO’s are an endangered species.