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Showing posts with label Commentary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Commentary. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

2018 Election Results

Following are the results of the 2018 General Election as best I can tell as of just after midnight.  Winners or apparent winners are indicated in red text. Any race that might require a runoff is indicated in green text.  The numbers reported in Bastrop County are with 100% of precincts reporting.

Race Party Candidates Bastrop Statewide %Reporting
US Senate R Ted Cruz 54.87% 51.37% 87.88%
D Beto O'Rourke 43.99% 47.85% 87.88%
L Neal M. Dikeman 1.14% 0.77% 87.88%
US Congress, Dist 10 R Michael T. McCaul 53.60% 51.14% 94.86%
D Mike Siegal 42.87% 46.71% 94.86%
L Mike Ryan 3.53% 2.14% 94.86%
US Congres, Dist 17 R Bill Flores 65.69% 56.92% 93.33%
D Rick Kennedy 31.62% 41.23% 93.33%
L Peter Churchman 2.70% 1.84% 93.33%
US Congress, Dist 27 R Michael Cloud 57.59% 60.32% 95.61%
D Eric Holguin 39.42% 36.60% 95.61%
L Daniel Tinus 1.66% 1.00% 95.61%
I James Duerr 1.34% 2.06% 95.61%
Governor R Greg Abbott 59.68% 56.24% 83.27%
D Lupe Valdez 37.98% 42.08% 83.27%
L Mark Jay Tippetts 2.34% 1.66% 83.27%
Lt Governor R Dan Patrick 54.58% 51.75% 86.16%
D Mike Collier 42.16% 46.05% 86.16%
L Kerry Douglas McKennon 3.26% 2.18% 86.16%
Attorney General R Ken Paxton 53.02% 51.04% 86.16%
D Justin Nelson 43.16% 46.55% 86.16%
L Michael Ray Harris 3.81% 2.40% 86.16%
Comptroller R Glenn Hegar 56.96% 53.70% 86.16%
D Joi Chevalier 38.45% 42.94% 86.16%
L Ben Sanders 4.59% 3.35% 86.16%
Land Commissioner R George P. Bush 56.02% 54.17% 86.16%
D Miguel Suazo 38.71% 42.70% 86.16%
L Matt Pina 5.27% 3.12% 86.16%
Agriculture Commissioner R Sid Miller 53.53% 51.77% 86.16%
D Kim Olson 42.95% 45.93% 86.16%
L Richard Carpenter 3.52% 2.29% 86.16%
Railroad Commissioner R Christi Craddick 55.03% 53.71% 86.16%
D Roman McAllen 39.68% 43.43% 86.16%
L Mike Wright 5.30% 2.85% 86.16%
Supreme Court, Pl 2 R Jimmy Blacklock 56.75% 53.63% 86.16%
D Steven Kirkland 43.25% 46.36% 86.16%
Supreme Court, Pl 4 R John Devine 57.69% 54.20% 86.16%
D R.K. Sandil 42.31% 45.79% 86.16%
Supreme Court, Pl 6 R Jeff Brown 57.20% 54.21% 86.16%
D Kathy Cheng 42.80% 45.78% 86.16%
Criminal Appeals, Presiding R Sharon Keller 55.60% 52.74% 86.16%
D Maria T. (Terry) Jackson 40.81% 44.96% 86.16%
L William Bryan Strange, III 3.59% 2.28% 86.16%
Criminal Appeals, Pl 7 R Barbara Parker Hervey 57.91% 54.59% 86.16%
D Ramona Franklin 42.09% 45.40% 86.16%
Criminal Appeals, Pl 8 R Michelle Slaughter 72.93% 74.93% 87.54%
L Mark Ash 27.07% 25.06% 87.54%
State Senate, Dist 14 R George W. Hindman 51.53% 25.21% 95.03%
D Kirk Watson 45.37% 71.98% 95.03%
L Micah M. Verlander 3.10% 2.79% 95.03%
State Rep, Dist 17 R John Cyrier 57.90% 62.34% 84.21%
D Michelle Ryan 42.10% 37.65% 84.21%
3rd Court of Appeals, Pl 2 R Cindy Olson Bourland 58.57% 47.28% 97.06%
D Edward Smith 41.43% 52.71% 97.06%
3rd Court of Appeals, Pl 3 R Scott Field 57.17% 45.93% 97.06%
D Chari Kelly 42.83% 54.06% 97.06%
3rd Court of Appeals, Pl 5 R David Puryear 57.47% 46.40% 97.06%
D Thomas J. Baker 42.53% 53.59% 97.06%
3rd Court of Appeals, Pl 6 R Michael "Mike" Toth 57.16% 45.75% 97.06%
D Gisela D. Triana 42.41% 54.09% 97.06%
Write-In 0.43% 0.15% 97.06%
District Attorney R Bryan Goertz 100.00%
County Judge R Paul Pape 100.00%
County Court at Law D Benton Eskew 100.00%
District Clerk R Sarah D. Loucks 100.00%
County Clerk R Rose Pietsch 100.00%
County Treasurer R Laurie Ingram 100.00%
County Surveyor R Michael Olson 100.00%
County Commissioner, Pct 2 R Clara Beckett 100.00%
County Commissioner, Pct 4 R Gary "Bubba" Snowden 100.00%
Justice of the Peace, Pct 1 R Cindy Allen 56.02%
D Dock Jackson 43.98%
Justice of the Peace, Pct 2 R Raymah M. Davis 100.00%
Justice of the Peace, Pct 3 D Katherine K. Hanna 100.00%
Justice of the Peace, Pct 4 R Larry Dunne 100.00%
ACC Trustee, Pl 7 Mitch Fuller 36.66% 30.67% as of 11pm
Barbara P. Mink 63.34% 69.33% as of 11pm
ACC Trustee, Pl 8 Douglas Gibbins 25.17% 19.48% as of 11pm
Stephanie Gharakhanian 27.08% 45.72% as of 11pm
Sarah Mills 47.75% 34.81% as of 11pm
ACC Trustee, Pl 9 Julie Ann Nitsch 52.53% 59.71% as of 11pm
Lora H. Weber 47.47% 40.29% as of 11pm
McDade ISD, Pl 1 Joey Miller, Jr. 41.13%
Elizabeth Dube 58.87%
McDade ISD, Pl 4 Joe C. Robledo, Jr. 100.00%
McDade ISD, Pl 6 Janet Nesslbeck Brade 100.00%
McDade ISD, Pl 7 Michael Nuby 49.57%
Willard Z. Rother 50.43%
McDade ISD Ballot Measure For 48.28%
Against 51.72%

==

Here is my take on these numbers.  For the unprecedented millions of out-of-state dollars spent on O'Rourke's senate race, it was a bad investment for Democrats.  It artificially propped up an otherwise weak internal structure, but did not achieve either the crushing wave or victories they were seeking.

It did, however, have an effect.  There was a rise in both party's participation.  And the swell of participation in Travis County upset the thin margin by which we have held a Republican sweep of the Third Court of Appeals. With four seats in contention, we lost all four, leaving the Court 2 Republicans to 4 Democrats in make up.  As that Court hears appeals affecting State Government and legislation, it is influential on resolving legal challenges that have statewide effect.  That signals that the Texas Supreme Court may be busier in the next four years.

The unseated judges are a stellar team of jurists who have demonstrated the proper role of the judiciary in upholding Federal and State Constitutions and interpreting the law faithfully as written rather than supplanting the laws and will of the people for their own .  Thank you to each incumbent for your years of service, and to the open seat candidate for your run.

So for the gazillions of dollars spent, it achieved four positions on a mid-level appellate court (on our ballot anyway).  Not exactly what they were intending for the investment, but there you have it.

It appears we will continue to enjoy Republican leadership in Texas both at the Federal and Statewide levels. 

Looking more locally, George Hindman did not unseat Kirk Watson for state Senate.  However, I offer my sincere appreciation to him for offering himself as a candidate we can vote for with a clear conscience.  Representative John Cyrier won his race comfortably.

At the county level, we had an unusual circumstance.  Just two years ago, all of our contested Republican nominees to county office were non-incumbents, something that had not occurred since we achieved majority status as a party in Bastrop County.  This election, we had only one contested race in Cindy Allen for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, which she won with 56% of the vote.  Congratulations, Judge-elect Allen!  Noteworthy among the uncontested candidates is County Clerk Rose Pietsch, who was elected to a new term for the first time since her homecoming to the Republican Party.  And she achieved the distinction of being the highest vote-getting Republican candidate among the uncontested candidates.  With so few contested candidates working the field in Bastrop County, I was concerned about the effect that would have on Republican turnout.  But you the voters rose to the challenge and showed up anyway.  Thank you for that.

In McDade ISD, I note Elizabeth Dube won her race for school board Trustee.  I'm crediting her smashing success in that race to the favorable publicity she received at the Bastrop County Republican Party fundraiser when she bid on a plant. 😊  Also, Willard Rother, former Precinct Chairman with Bastrop County Republican Party, and long-time election judge for the party, won his school board race by four votes.  Congratulations to both of you!  I note the bond proposal with the McDade ISD did not pass.

Democrats did turn out in higher numbers, fueled by the huge dollars invested by out-of-state deep pockets.  But Republicans of their own modest resources rose to the challenge to hold that at bay.  Republican Party of Texas challenged Bastrop County Republican Party to increase its Abbott vote for Governor by 5%, precinct by precinct, over its 2014 numbers.  I'm pleased to report every precinct was up between 44 and 93%.

I thank the Lord for His watch care over us.  I thank the volunteers of the Bastrop County Republican Party who worked hard with limited resources do the work that needed to be done.  I thank the candidates who labored to give us good choices on our ballots. I thank you the voters for taking this election seriously.  Tomorrow begins the work of the next Presidential election, as liberty requires eternal vigilance.

Albert L. Ellison, Founder
Bastrop County Republican News

Saturday, June 30, 2018

Special Election - Congressional Dist 27

Today, Saturday, June 30, is the Special Election in the Congressional District 27 race.  Polls are open from 7 am to 7 pm.  Go VOTE!!

Who Participates?

Registered voters of Congressional District 27, including those in Bastrop County from voting precincts:
  • 1003
  • 2007
  • 2008
  • 3012
  • 3013
  • 3014
  • 3015
  • 3016
If you live south of the river, or south of Hwy 71 from Pine Forrest/ColoVista to Smithville, and west of Hwy 290 S at Smithville, then it probably includes you, including all of Commissioner's Precinct Three.

Where Do We Vote on Election Day?

On election day, you must vote at the location designated for your voting precinct.  Those designations are as follows:
  • 1003 and 2008 - Bastrop Church of Christ, 287 Hwy 20, Bastrop
  • 2007 - Rosanky Community Center, 135 Main St., Rosanky
  • 3012 and 3013 - Red Rock Community Center, 114 Red Rock Rd, Red Rock
  • 3014, 3015 and 3016 - Cedar Creek United Methodist Church, 5630 FM 535, Cedar Creek
How Do I Confirm My Precinct Number?

Check your voter registration card, or click here to look it up by your name and date of birth.

What is This Election About?

In the Primary and Runoff, the voters of Congressional District 27 chose nominees for the November general election to determine who will take that office come January.  Republicans nominated Michael Cloud over other contenders.  

But because Congressman Farenthold resigned, the office is currently vacant until January.  The Special Election today decides who will hold that office until January.  Governor Abbott called the Special Election out of concern that the position should not remain vacant while hurricane recovery efforts are still underway.

The District is strongly Republican, and conventional wisdom says Michael Cloud, although only a Republican nominee at present, will eventually win the general election.  It makes sense, therefore, to go support him in the Special Election so he can get started right away. But that requires your vote if you live in the district.

Please carve a little time out of your day to Go VOTE!!!

Albert L. Ellison, Founder
Bastrop County Republican News

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

2018 Primary Results

Here are the election results of the 2018 Republican Primary, as best things can be determined at the time of this publishing.  Candidates highlighted in red text appear to have won their race.  Candidates highlighted in green text appear to be advancing to a runoff election this May.  The below results reflect 100% of the Bastrop County vote counted (with the exception of any provisional ballots yet to be evaluated), and statewide results show the percentage of the vote that was counted at the time I prepared these results.


Office Candidate Bastrop Texas % Report-
ing
US Senate Ted Cruz80.38%85.36%71.19%
Stefano de Stefano3.37%2.84%
Bruce Jacobson6.81%4.22%
Mary Miller7.85%6.10%
Geraldine Sam1.59%1.46%
Congress, District 10John W. Cook28.80%19.42%79.24%
Michael T. McCaul71.20%80.57%
Congress, District 27 Bech Bruun29.75%36.20%88.93%
Michael Cloud22.49%33.99%
Eddie Gassman4.57%2.81%
John Grunwald13.70%6.88%
Jerry Hall19.53%8.16%
Christopher K. Mapp9.96%11.93%
Governor Greg Abbott86.79%90.29%72.42%
SECEDE Kilgore1.94%1.41%
Barbara Krueger11.27%8.29%
Lt. GovernorScott Milder25.43%24.12%72.42%
Dan Patrick74.57%75.87%
Land Commissioner George P. Bush47.23%58.20%84.45%
Davey Edwards7.68%6.81%
Jerry Patterson38.56%29.70%
Rick Range6.53%5.28%
Agriculture CommissionerTrey Blocker25.37%21.31%84.88%
Jim Hogan24.74%22.73%
Sid Miller49.88%55.94%
Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick77.57%75.85%74.34%
Weston Martinez22.43%24.14%
Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal AppealsDavid Bridges51.24%47.94%84.88%
Sharon Keller48.76%52.05%
Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8Jay Brandon29.94%30.80%84.45%
Michelle Slaughter50.37%52.54%
Dib Waldrip19.68%16.64%
3rd Court of Appeals, Place 6 Donna Davidson30.08%31.28%88.79%
Jennifer S. Freel22.20%19.93%
Kristofer Monson8.33%9.61%
Michael ("Mike") Toth39.39%39.15%
County JudgeDonald A. Loucks38.43%
Paul Pape61.57%
Commissioner, Precinct 4Rosanna L. Abreo25.11%
Gary "Bubba" Snowden74.89%
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1Kelley Price9.74%
Sherry Cook35.74%
Cindy Allen34.21%
Mac W. Simpson20.32%
County Chairman Dianna Greenwood64.73%
Jeanne Raley35.27%
Precinct Chairman, 1002 James Clifton Sparks67.72%
Derek Van Gilder32.28%
Precinct Chairman, 1003 Carol A. Spencer56.65%
Carl M. Rees43.35%
Precinct Chairman, 1004James V. Richard44.60%
Jarrett A. Namken55.40%
Precinct Chairman, 2005 Michael J. Campbell64.35%
James Raley35.65%
Precinct Chairman, 2006Sandra Stokes49.11%
Cade Hurta50.89%
Precinct Chairman, 3014Ana Zuniga43.67%
Kaye Leidy56.33%
Precinct Chairman, 3016Marc Mulkey48.05%
Mike Gepner51.95%
Prop 1 - replace property tax For70.54%67.94%76.34%
Against29.46%32.05%
Prop 2 - voter approval of toll roads For91.42%89.88%76.34%
Against8.58%10.11%
Prop 3 - Speaker of the House selection For82.50%85.12%76.34%
Against17.50%14.87%
Prop 4 - employee screening with E-Verify For88.16%90.33%76.34%
Against11.84%9.66%
Prop 5 - tax credits for private education choices For78.39%78.41%76.34%
Against21.61%21.58%
Prop 6 - bathroom/locker room protection For86.97%90.18%76.34%
Against13.03%9.81%
Prop 7 - abolish abortion For61.21%68.26%76.34%
Against38.79%31.73%
Prop 8 - make vote fraud a felony For93.49%94.81%76.34%
Against6.51%5.18%
Prop 9 - repeal Obamacare For84.12%87.02%76.34%
Against15.88%12.97%
Prop 10 - cap property tax increases at 4%/year For94.16%93.85%76.34%
Against5.84%6.14%
Prop 11 - no tax dollars for professional stadiums For90.00%86.75%76.34%
Against10.00%13.24%

7,059 ballots were cast in the Republican Primary and 3,663 ballots were cast in the Democrat Primary.  In 2014 (during the last Governor's election) there were 4,968 votes in the Republican Primary and 1,800 cast in the Democratic Primary.  So this election saw a high level of participation in both primaries.

Statewide incumbents fared well, with only one close race in the Chief Justice position for Court of Criminal Appeals.  George P. Bush appears to have won by a large margin against comeback challenger Jerry Patterson for the Land Commissioner's office.  Michelle Slaughter appears to be winning an open seat election outright for Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8.

The contest for Congressman, District 27, will proceed to a runoff election between Bech Bruun and Michael Cloud.

Donna Davidson and Mike Toth will advance to a runoff election for the open seat on the 3rd Court of Appeals., Place 6.

In the Bastrop County Commissioner's Court, Judge Pape and Commissioner Snowden both won their contested elections, and with no Democrat challenger to either in November, they will go on to another term.  There will be a runoff election between Sherry Cook and Cindy Allen for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1.  

In our party races, Dianna Greenwood has been elected the next chairman of the Bastrop County Republican Party.  However, the precinct chairman races that represent the differences of opinion in our executive committee had mixed results.  There was no sweep one direction or another.  Nevertheless, I have confidence that under new leadership, we can have constructive debate again without as much relationship strain.

The ballot propositions all passed, with 9 of them above 75% statewide.

To all who won, my congratulations.  To all who lost, my condolences.  To all who advance to a runoff election this May, my double condolences.

Albert L. Ellison, Founder
Bastrop County Republican News
bcrnews.blogspot.com

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Choose a Direction



Bastrop County Republican Party is at a crossroads in this primary election, and it is time for you, the voter, to choose a direction.  This is the third and final segment on the local party issues at play in this primary election.  Part 1 (linked here) focused on how our party Chairman’s policies have damaged the party.  Part 2 (linked here) focused on how Mr. Loucks has participated in that damage, and stands to take those policies into county government if elected County Judge.  This final segment focuses on the precinct chairman races and how they might influence party direction in the term to come.

Our local party is an organization whose voting members are the Chairman, elected county wide, and precinct chairmen elected from each voting precinct in the county, collectively called the executive committee.  These elections are determined in the primary election every two years (if contested).  That executive committee of potentially 22 members is the decision-making board of our local Republican party.  The Chairman presides over the executive committee’s deliberations, and its majority votes are binding on the organization.

A record number of seven precinct chairman positions are contested this election.  In my view, at play is whether Chairman Raley’s policies will be strengthened or weakened depending on how those votes go.  Here are the contested races that I view as connected:

County JudgePaul PapeDon Loucks
County ChairmanDianna GreenwoodJeanne Raley
Precinct Chair 1002Cliff SparksDerek Van Gilder
Precinct Chair 1003Carl ReesCarol Spencer
Precinct Chair 1004Jarrett NamkenJames Richard
Precinct Chair 2005Michael CampbellJames Raley
Precinct Chair 2006Cade HurtaSandra Stokes
Precinct Chair 3014Ana ZunigaKaye Leidy
Precinct Chair 3016Marc MulkeyMike Gepner

Concerning the precinct chairmen candidates who, I believe, would weaken Chairman Raley’s damaging policies:

  • Cliff Sparks, Jarrett Namken, and Marc Mulkey are incumbent precinct chairs who have been casting consistent votes to keep the party executive-committee lead rather than Chairman lead, to re-open an office, to resume monthly meetings, to contract with the county for the primary election, and they supported the party fundraiser, etc.
  • Carl Rees was recruited by Deborah Leyland, former precinct chairman for 1003, anticipating an open seat when Don Loucks ran for County Judge thus vacating his position.
  • Michael Campbell, Cade Hurta and Ana Zuniga are members of Bastrop County Young Republicans, who helped at the party fundraiser, and were recruited by Jarrett Namken.
Concerning the precinct chairman candidates who, I believe, would strengthen Chairman Raley’s damaging policies:
  • Sandra Stokes and Kaye Leidy are incumbent precinct chairmen who have sided with the Chairman and Don Loucks on almost every vote.  They are unoffended at the Chairman’s noncompliance with majority votes of the executive committee.  They did not help with or participate in the party’s fundraiser.  Sandra has participated in attacks on the Bastrop County Young Republicans.  Kaye Leidy currently serves as our party’s Vice Chairman.
  • Derek Van Gilder needs no introduction to most.  He was apparently the Chairman’s choice for the party’s general counsel before the executive committee removed that position from the bylaws.  He apparently supported the Chairman’s bylaws to centralize power in the Chairman.  Derek has participated in attacks on the Bastrop County Young Republicans.
  • James Raley is husband to Chairman Raley.  He ran two years ago for this position and was defeated by Greg Greer.  In the interest of full disclosure, when I suggested two years ago that James, by virtue of marriage, would be supportive of Chairman Raley, she argued with me on that point.  But she didn’t convince me.
  • Carol Spencer was our Chairman’s first pick for Vice Chairman.  Due to a busy schedule away, she was unable to participate in meetings and eventually resigned.  She is co-founder with Chairman Raley of the controversial “Bastrop County Republican Club” to which the Chairman diverted her fundraising attention (but which is not affiliated with the party, and its function has never been explained to the executive committee).  She also serves as president of the Lost Pines Republican Women, of which Chairman Raley is or was Vice President.  Carol’s husband hosted a nice meet and greet for the benefit of Don Loucks.  Carol has served as party web master at the Chairman’s request.  She resigned that position, but has refused to turn over the party’s web site to the party’s Public Relations Committee as directed by the executive committee stating she will follow only Chairman Raley’s direction (But she is also aware that Chairman Raley is not in compliance with the executive committee’s direction to turn over the web site and other media accounts).  Carol informs me she is neutral as to Chairman and running strictly in her own name.  Her close affiliation with the Chairman and Mr. Loucks however give me doubt.
  • James Richard and Mike Gepner are both friends of Don Loucks, and I assume were recruited by him.  When Marc Mulkey was elected to fill a vacancy on the executive committee, Mr. Loucks nominated Mike Gepner for the same office and spoke of their close personal friendship.  They also served together on one of our ESD boards.  Mike Gepner’s property displays both a Jeanne Raley and a Don Loucks sign.  James Richard is a member of the John Birch Society, and Mr. Loucks serves as the head of the local chapter of that organization.  Mr. Richard attended Mr. Loucks’ benefit.
Most of these people are fine people who would do the party credit if they worked together cooperatively toward a common goal calculated to strengthen the party.  However, this past term has demonstrated that Chairman Raley’s leadership merely puts them all at odds.  If we could recapture the basic concept that we can disagree with grace and majority vote rules, a significant portion of the conflict goes away.

Your executive committee and your Chairman have two very different ideas of how the party should be run.  They have been unable to reconcile that difference among themselves, and our Chairman has rejected the input of mediators.  It therefore falls to the voters to choose a direction.  Whether you agree with my choices and opinions or not, I encourage you to consistently vote in favor of a coherent leadership team.  Pick one entire list or the other.  A divided vote will only maintain a divided party.

Please join me in voting for Paul Pape for County Judge, Dianna Greenwood for County Chairman, and if you live in a precinct with a contested precinct race, the precinct chairman candidate who is consistent with that leadership.

Please take personal responsibility to help your fellow Republicans choose a direction.  Link to this story on your Facebook pages at https://bcrnews.blogspot.com/2018/02/county-judge-considerations.html.  Email it to your Republican friends.

Albert L. Ellison, Founder
Bastrop County Republican News
bcrnews.blogspot.com

Monday, February 19, 2018

County Judge Considerations

Bastrop County Republican Party is at a crossroads in this primary election.  This is the second part of a three part series discussing the issues at play.  Part 1 (linked here) discussed the policies of our incumbent party Chairman and how I believe they have damaged our party.  In this second part, I will discuss how I see these issues impacting the County Judge race.

Don Loucks seeks a re-match election against County Judge Paul Pape, having been previously defeated 2-1 in the Republican Primary of 2012. The County Judge is the presiding officer of the Commissioners Court and is the chief budgeting officer of the county.  If elected it would put Mr. Loucks in charge of proposing a countywide budget for all county departments, including that of his wife, who currently serves as our District Clerk.

In my view, the County Judge race this election is not about philosophy or issues, it is about leadership and methodology.  While Mr. Loucks attacks Judge Pape incessantly on any decision over which they might disagree, and indeed has been doing so for years, there is also a record of leadership from Mr. Loucks to examine from which you can determine if you want his style of leadership taking over the helm of the Commissioners Court.

Here is the list of issues I have observed in Mr. Loucks that convince me he is not the best candidate for the office, notwithstanding what issues he raises:
  • Party Policies - Mr. Loucks served on our party’s executive committee this last term, and supported Chairman Raley’s policies for our party.  That includes centralizing power in the chairman and away from the executive committee, closing the Republican office in a Presidential election, discontinuing monthly meetings of the party, failing to support our candidates, curbing of party communications, refusal to fundraise for the party, resisting re-opening the Republican office, resisting hiring the county to assist with our primary, and even seeding public doubt as to whether the county elections department was legally hired.  In so doing, he has supported the Chairman’s noncompliance with party bylaws, Robert’s Rules of Order, and majority votes of the executive committee.  It appears asserting control is more important than actually working to benefit the party.  For this reason alone, he should be demoted, not promoted, in my opinion.
  • Candidate Support – Chairman Raley made Mr. Loucks chairman of the party’s candidate support committee.  While Mr. Loucks trumpets project management as being a forte, he failed to convene his committee to conceptualize or offer any candidate support to our nominees in the 2016 Presidential election.  Our voters' guide, already prepared for the primary, was ignored and not distributed.  Local data services to the nominees from our local party disappeared.  With no office, no regular meetings, and no special party events, local nominee sign distribution was not supported centrally at all.  Our pictorial directory of candidates, with its Vote Republican message, which we have been publishing in the paper for years, didn’t happen.  After the Presidential election, he then convened his committee to conceptualize support projects for candidates in the primary election of 2018.  Projects were considered, timelines proposed – then nothing else happened.  He did not have his committee follow through on a single idea.  He is a self-described adrenaline junkie.  He appears more interested in stirring controversies than tending to the mundane business at hand.
  • Fundraising – He and Chairman Raley both refused to participate in the party’s Boots & BBQ fundraiser last Fall.  The event was initiated by one of our state-level Republican representatives.  She expressed to the executive committee her personal disappointment that some of our members, including Chairman Raley and Mr. Loucks, had refused to participate.  Mr. Loucks responded that her “interference” was duly noted.  In other words, he resented her aid to help the party raise money.
  • Breach of Decorum – In executive committee debates, Mr. Loucks breached decorum in almost every meeting.  Robert’s Rules of Order characterize calling your fellow committee members names, impugning their motives, and questioning past decisions of the committee as all breaches of decorum.  Mr. Loucks regularly employs all three in debate.  Chairman Raley, who as chairman is charged with keeping decorum, refused to hold him in line.  Consequently, with a steady diet of such rhetoric, relationships were greatly strained.
  • Hardball Politics – Mr. Loucks employs hardball politics.  I’ve seen that play out in these ways:
    • Intolerance of Disagreement – In my view, you advocate respectfully for your position, and allow votes to decide issues.  Mr. Loucks does not tolerate those who disagree with him, and with him, a personal fight is never over.  When he served as County Commissioner he would use his web site to attack viciously members of the public who disagreed with his stances. He has used his newspaper column similarly.  Long is the list of current officeholders and county employees  I have personally heard him speak against.  If elected, I fear he intends to attempt to clean house based on his list of personal grudges and desire for payback.  Most of Mr. Loucks’ attacks on Judge Pape relate to decisions made by the Commissioners Court, rather than just Judge Pape personally.  That informs me that Judge Pape is just the beginning.
    • Fake Issues – One of Mr. Loucks’ tactics is to propose a good-sounding policy, but laden it with unacceptable baggage.  When his fellow members object to the baggage, he accuses them of not supporting the good-sounding policy so as to try to tear them down in public opinion.  He and Chairman Raley are using this technique against your party’s executive committee over the Blue Santa vote.  Chairman Raley proposed supporting four charities at Christmas time.  Sounds good.  Problem was, one of her proposed charities didn’t exist, she wanted to include her controversial exclusive club in an attempt to legitimize it, and some were concerned that we should focus on one charity, not multiple.  The Chairman and Mr. Loucks proposed a one-size-fits-all resolution that included all the baggage, and the executive committee voted no.   Chairman Raley immediately called for adjournment allowing nothing else to be considered.  Mr. Loucks then posted an edited video (excluding the portion of him shouting at his fellow members) and they have been campaigning stating your committee opposed Blue Santa.  What they don’t tell you is in the next meeting, the executive committee voted to support the Tree of Angels program run by the Sheriff’s Office, and they did.  And what they don’t know is that some individual members who voted no made personal contributions to the Blue Santa programs in the party’s name.
    • Building a Case for Firing – Often Mr. Loucks forms an opinion that someone needs to go based on very personal reasons (i.e., that person might disagree with Mr. Loucks on an issue, support a different candidate in an election than Mr. Loucks did, be a former employee who didn’t work out well in his wife’s department, have a job Mr. Loucks wants, or refuse to attack someone Mr. Loucks wants attacked, etc.).  He will then begin a line of public attacks against that person’s job performance, without disclosing his true motivation.  I’ve watched him initiate attacks on both the Elections Administrator and the Tax Assessor/Collector and their performance, when underlying it, I came to understand that he was actually upset that they had hired employees who hadn’t worked out well in his wife’s office.  He wanted to drive the employees from county employment as well as any department head who had harbored them.
    • Persistent Attacks on the Bastrop County Young Republicans (BCYR) – The BCYR endorsed another candidate against Mr. Loucks’ wife for District Clerk in a primary election.  Our District Clerk took my advice as chairman, and made no public issue of it.  After the election was over, I asked Mr. Loucks to treat BCYR members with a mentoring attitude rather than open hostility.  He rejected my direction and has persistently attacked them since.  He even filed with the county a trade name certificate in their name in an effort to steal their name out from under them.  Based on that certificate, he told me, “I am Bastrop County Young Republicans.”   He followed that with a cease and desist letter threatening them with suit if they continued to use their name.  I believe that when he understood that, as chairman, I was not going to allow him to use the party structure to attack them, that’s when he decided that I as chairman needed to go.   Curiously, he has also filed additional trade name certificates claiming to own the names of “The Bastrop County Republican Party,” “Republican Party of Bastrop County,” and “The Republican Party of Bastrop County.”
  • Credibility – The reason that this is not an issues-based race for me, is Mr. Loucks has lost all credibility with me.
    • False Accusations – Mr. Loucks makes false accusations against opponents.  From personal experience he has falsely accused me (and Judge Pape) of rigging an election, failing to attend required training as chairman, and stealing my email list from the party, just to name a few.  Our Chairman, similarly, filed a failed ethics complaint against Judge Pape, and has filed false sworn complaints against fellow executive committee members.  Seeing first hand Mr. Loucks’ distortions, when he accuses others of wrong doing in public, I know his every statement must be carefully vetted before being accepted. 
    • Lying on Request – At the request of Chairman-elect Raley, Mr. Loucks lied to a volunteer working with the Governor Abbott campaign in an effort to get her to disclose a data source.  Unfortunately for Mr. Loucks, he forgot to delete Mrs. Raley’s instructions from the bottom of the email he sent to the volunteer, so he exposed his own lie. The email may be viewed here.
    • Contradictory Issues – In this very race, Mr. Loucks’ signature campaign pledges are contradictory.   He is pledging to cut county spending so that your taxes decrease (not just the tax rate) while also telling the Sheriff’s office (which is the largest department in county government) that they deserve a living wage pay increase.  Based on his past actions, I believe he will make another fake issue of this: I’m guessing he will propose an impossible budget, make his fellow Commissioners vote against it, and then blame them in public so as to get rid of them.  If right, we are merely pawns in a game of control, and the issues are beside the point.
These leadership characteristics raise the following questions in my mind:
  • As County Judge, will control be more important to Mr. Loucks than good policy?
  • Will he respect the majority votes of the Commissioner’s Court when he disagrees with the decision, or will he perpetually seek to undermine majority will as he has done with our party’s executive committee?
  • As presiding officer, will he enforce proper decorum so that all are respected whether or not they agree with him, or will he be the one most frequently out of line? And if he breaches decorum, how do you fix that?
  • Will he lash out publicly against persons with whom he disagrees?
  • Will he actually see mundane projects through, or will he perpetually seek the next controversy to supply an adrenaline rush?
  • Will he abuse his position to persecute those with whom he disagrees, be they officeholders, county employees, party members, or constituents?
  • When someone in county government disagrees with him, will he make them unwelcome wherever they go?
  • Will he attempt a purge of county government to build a personal empire?
  • Will he lie to accomplish goals?

Mr. Loucks’ past leadership has severely damaged our party.  The contrast between where we were two years ago and where we are today is stark.  There is good reason to believe he will take that leadership style to county government, and do similar, if not greater, damage there.

In contrast, I support Judge Pape because his leadership is entirely different.  He is supportive of the party and policies that make us strong.  He is not attacking our party organization or obstructing its proper function.  He takes stands and makes decisions, as all leaders must, but if you disagree with him you have no fear of retaliation. He is the better candidate because he is a stable leader who puts the good of the county, as he sees it, above other considerations.

Judge Pape also has a consistent tax policy that I personally believe in.  He has been persistently working to reduce the tax rate so that our rate becomes competitive.  He has been doing so at a measured rate to avoid impairing county operations.  As the rate becomes competitive, more business comes, and the tax burden is lightened off of the shoulders of residents.  Today, we are all paying less in taxes than we would have without his efforts.  This is a reasonable plan that balances considerations of both tax reduction and growth-of-services concerns.  (And keep in mind that county taxes are the minor portion of our tax bill – it is school taxes that are killing us.  You can gut county spending, and it will only help so much.)

If you want to see the kind of policies and politics that have distressed our party for the last two years spread into county government, too, then Don Loucks would be your choice. If you don’t want to repeat that history, then join me in re-electing Paul Pape for County Judge and electing Dianna Greenwood for County Chairman in this primary election.

If Mr. Loucks' leadership alarms you as it alarms me, then please take personal responsibility to aid your county.  Link to this story on your Facebook pages at https://bcrnews.blogspot.com/2018/02/county-judge-considerations.html.  Email it to your Republican friends.

The final segment of this series is as follows:

Part 3 - Choose a Direction

Albert L. Ellison, Founder
Bastrop County Republican News
bcrnews.blogspot.com

Saturday, January 27, 2018

What the Republican Discord is About


I support Dianna Greenwood for Chairman of Bastrop County Republican Party. 

Today, a front-page news story in the Bastrop Advertiser highlights that Republican discord has put the primary election in limbo, which story can be read here.  In my view, here is a short list of some of the policies Jeanne Raley has supported as our incumbent party Chairman that convince me that a change of leadership is needed.  This list also gives a glimpse of what the discord has been about:


  • From the beginning of her term, Chairman Raley sought unilateral control of the party, rather than executive-committee control.  She proposed party bylaws that would give herself and the committees of her sole appointment almost complete control of the party.  When your executive committee proposed amendments, she disallowed consideration of them, violating Robert’s Rules of Order.  A peaceful and expeditious resolution was mediated and approved unanimously by the executive committee.  She thereafter refused to honor that arrangement, and it took fifteen months to resolve the issue.
  • She closed the Republican office in the middle of a Presidential election.  In June of 2016, she inherited an office that was extended and funded through the end of the Presidential election.  She closed that office in her first week as Chairman, without notifying the executive committee of her intentions, giving the party no central distribution center for candidate materials in the Presidential election.  For five months, she further resisted your executive committee’s direction to refund the donations given specifically for the office.  Voters went to surrounding businesses at the former office location, or even the Bastrop Chamber, seeking their party.
  • She discontinued our party’s monthly meetings.  She held one meeting in August of 2016 for the benefit of candidates, and then she failed to comply with the executive committee’s direction to hold additional meetings in September and October.  Meetings did not resume until the following May of 2017 at the insistence of the executive committee.
  • She failed to give centralized support to our nominees in the Presidential election.  With no office and only one meeting, our local nominees had virtually no party-coordinated support.  And they were all running first-time races.  She appointed her friend Don Loucks as chairman of the party’s candidate support committee, but he held no committee meetings in the Presidential election cycle to coordinate support for the nominees.  She did initiate a Presidential sign campaign, but despite record high interest, it lost money and failed to meet demand.
  • She has significantly curbed party communications.  She refuses to use assets and media tools available to us.  She refused to promote the party’s fundraiser through its email list.  She is currently refusing to comply with party bylaws conferring management of media accounts to the party’s Public Relations Committee.
  • She has failed to fundraise for the party.  She initiated no party fundraisers during the Presidential election, or since.  Curiously, she helped co-found an exclusive Republican club in September of 2016, and devoted her fundraising attention to it instead.  This is likely what she refers to in her campaign material as having “built a foundation for growth.”  When the executive committee undertook the Boots & BBQ fundraiser, she refused to participate in or promote it.  She asked invited guests and speakers not to come.  She has filed ethics complaints against some of the organizers falsely alleging the fundraiser was not an authorized event of the party.  Excluding designated giving and the proceeds of the fundraiser she opposed, general giving to the party in 2017 was $73.00, and she asked one of those three donors to stop giving.
  • She resisted the re-opening of the Republican office.  When the executive committee approved the lease of the new office, she refused to sign the lease as directed.  They authorized their Finance Chairman to sign instead.  She cut the ribbon for the office opening, but has made little use of the office personally and has not used her time to staff it.  The party office is presently staffed by the efforts of others.  She has not used party communication channels to help raise volunteers to staff it.  She did not use it for candidate filing, requiring candidates to come to her in Smithville instead.  She has falsely claimed in her ethics complaints that the office was not authorized by the party.
  • She opposed hiring the county to assist with election services in the Primary election.  The party bylaws require that the county be hired, but she has resisted nonetheless.  She refused to sign the contract the executive committee approved on September 30, 2017, requiring them to designate the party Secretary to do so.  By contracting with the county, the Chairman’s responsibilities are fewer than they would otherwise be.  She has nevertheless not fulfilled those duties in a timely manner, resulting in today’s news story on the issue.  When a county commissioner pressed her in a Republican meeting regarding her intentions to comply, she refused to say.  She and Don Loucks instead raise specious legal arguments as to the contract’s validity (citing a missing cost estimate she herself was responsible to prepare, which she did not complete until January 22, 2018, and which has no binding effect on the contract itself), knowing that election attorneys, Republican Party of Texas general counsel, and the county’s attorneys have all found the process valid under existing law.  


Chairman Raley’s policies have harmed the party, and our Chairman’s refusal to comply with party bylaws, Robert’s Rules of Order, or majority votes of the party’s executive committee have put our party in disarray.

In contrast, Dianna Greenwood’s policies and/or actions on these issues are as follows:


  • Bylaws – the party should continue to be executive-committee lead; she will propose we continue to use existing bylaws rather than seek to centralize power in the Chairman.
  • Office – having an office open to the public is essential in supporting our candidates and communicating with the public.  Dianna voted in favor of re-opening the office.  She has volunteered her time to staff our office since its re-opening.
  • Monthly meetings – these should continue as an outreach around our community to help people connect to their party.  Dianna held an information meeting in her own precinct while the party had discontinued its meetings.
  • Communications – we should make use of all communication media and assets available to us.  Dianna is the Chairman’s appointed Director of Communications, is currently serving on the party’s Public Relations Committee, and administers the party’s Facebook page.
  • Fundraising – the Chairman should be engaged in the fundraising initiatives of the party.  Dianna chaired the committee that put on the successful Boots & BBQ fundraiser last Fall.
  • Primary Elections – electoral responsibilities should demand our highest priority to ensure well-run elections.  The county is a vital source of expertise, equipment, and logistics coordination that lessens the burden and taxpayer cost of an election.  Dianna voted in favor of the contract for county election services.

We cannot grow if we disappear.  People will not stay if we cannot disagree with grace.  And there is no point in being Republican (meaning representative government) if we believe all power should be vested in one person who need not heed bylaw, parliamentary procedure, or majority vote.

If Chairman Raley’s policies alarm you as they alarm me, then please take personal responsibility to aid your party.  Link to this blog story on your Facebook pages at https://bcrnews.blogspot.com/2018/01/what-republican-discord-is-about.html.  Email it to your local Republican friends.

Spread the word and join me in voting for Dianna Greenwood as next Chairman of the Bastrop County Republican Party.

There are more elections on your ballot that touch upon these issues, and I will speak to those in the days ahead.  Those stories now appear here:

Part 2 - County Judge Considerations
Part 3 - Choose a Direction

Albert L. Ellison, Founder
Bastrop County Republican News