The Republican Party is up for sale and its new owner in the Hill Country is James Leininger for only $786,096.36.
This race is personal. Casteel, (possibly, see update, there is hope yet) soon to be my former hometown representative, is the Republican I most respect in Texas. She stood for a type of representation, speaking, and campaigning that was a breath of fresh air in the post-2002 era of Texas politics. This race highlights some serious flaws in Texas' campaign finance system, where a candidate wholly uninterested in actually representing a district, controlled by an San Antonio carpetbagger puts ideology before public policy.
I'm so sorry Carter. For you, for your party, and for Texas.
Update: from QR.
Carter Casteel is mulling her options in the face of her 44 vote loss to Nathan Macias. Several anomalies appear in the race including the fact that that the House race garnered about 680 more votes than any other race on the ballot. While no one is yet alleging any mischief, it is unusual that so many people went to the polls and simply skipped over races for governor, senator, county judge, sheriff and the like. There are 329 possible mail ballots still out, including 259 from Comal County voters. As those trickle in, it may change outcomes. She has sought legal advice and may yet request a recount.
New Braunsfels Herald-Zeitung:(HD 73) But Casteel later gathered her family around her and comforted them and her supporters with motherly wisdom.
"It’s fine. Shush, it’s fine," she said, putting her arms around as many of them as she could. "We might have lost tonight, but we are winners for two reasons. First, we did not break the 9th Commandment — do not lie. And secondly, our family for the first time in four years will be able to spend more time together."
...
Casteel might have been hesitant to commit to redoing Tuesday’s count, but she wasted no time making a pronouncement about how important her loss was to the entire state.
"What this means is that no representative can take an independent vote because someone with money might take issue with it," she said. "That’s the tough part. I’ll be all right, but this race has changed Texas politics."
...
Through individual donations and money spent with the Texas Republican Legislative Campaign Committee, Leininger poured $786,096.36 into Macias’ bid to send Casteel home.
...
"My desire is to see that no seat is for sale. I want to make sure a school teacher’s $10 donation means as much as the millions someone else has to spend," she said.
To her well-wishers and party faithful, Casteel offered a warning.
"Let me tell you, the Republican Party is in trouble. And we’ve got to do what we can to save it," she said, which was greeted with a hearty chorus of "amen." |
| And from Councilman Musselman who did all he could in Gillespie County including voting for Carter.
I am surprised at the strong Macias showing in Gillespie, and the outright wins in Bandera and Kendall.
The Macias people were out in force today, all day! They were at every Republican polling location, waving signs, parking vans with big signs just outside of the 100ft entrance. The Macias people were not local - it kind of reminds me of the Dean Iowa Perfect Storm campaign! I can see where this actually might actually have hurt them! You know how the locals are when outsiders come here and tell them what to do. With the changing demogragphics of this county, you really never really know, do you? |
