| There are two very important dynamics going on within the Texas Republican Party. As Rep. Mark Strama put it at this past week's University Democrats meeting, "There is an all out war within the Texas Republican Party right now."
There is of course the Texas Parents PAC, running teachers, school board members, and superintendents against incumbent Republicans who are generally hostile to Public Education. And then there are the Leininger Five, wholly owned candidates of San Antonio Voucher Advocate James Leininger who along with Houston homebuilder Bob Perry increasingly funds and tries to call the shots of Texas Republicans. These five challengers are the opposite of the Parent PAC, they are trying to dislodge Republicans who are willing to work for common productive solutions for Education, voting more independently than Craddick, Leininger, or Perry wants.
So if we can, we'll try to feature some of these races before the primary, as it is these local battles which will drive most of the turnout in the Republican Primary.
The San Antonio-Express News features the Carter Casteel v. Leininger owned Nathan Macias race.
State Rep. Carter Casteel, R-New Braunfels, has campaigned for school board, county judge and state representative during her 22-year political career, but she's never been as fed up with the process as she is this time.
"This is the first race I've ever been involved in that gave me distaste," Casteel said. "All the races I've been involved with are the way I've taught government when I was a schoolteacher, the way I've lived government and the way I thought government should be.
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The barrage of radio and television ads and two to three direct mailings a week from the Macias camp, painting Casteel as voting with "liberal Democrats," has gotten under her skin.
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While he stressed the need to cut "wasteful spending," Macias could not identify any areas he would advocate cutting.
"I need to get in there and really take a look at it," he said. "Do an across-the-board, up-and-down review and look for ways to relieve some of the burden."
Macias isn't running on any specific principle other than running to the far right of Casteel. The district is conservative (about 80% Republicans) but places a high value on Education and is interested in a solution to state educational finance, as one of it's local school districts (Fredericksburg) recently became a Chapter 41 "Rich District". But Macias is nothing more than a puppet for James Leininger.
Macias dismisses criticism that his campaign represents an attempt by an out-of-district millionaire to buy a seat in the House.
More than 90 percent of Macias' campaign funds have come from San Antonio businessman James Leininger, who has pumped at least $180,000 into the campaign. Casteel is one of five House members Leininger targeted for defeat after they opposed a school voucher bill last year.
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Casteel, seeking a third term, says Macias is not her true opponent.
"Really, it's about me and Dr. Leininger and vouchers," she said. "He is somebody who has unlimited sources of money and will spend whatever it takes to misrepresent Carter Casteel. Well, I've been here 33 years. I've taught 1,800 kids. I've served as a school board member and county judge. I've volunteered for lots of organizations. He can't make me something I'm not."
There is no Democratic opponent in HD-73. The largest newspaper the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung has endorsed Casteel.
If you’re a Republican who is thinking about sitting out this primary so you can sign Kinky Friedman’s or Carole Keeton-Strayhorn’s petitions, reconsider. Too much is at stake March 7. The District 73 representative should answer to us, and not to a single-issue Republican donor from San Antonio. |
