Republicans. That’s right, we are our own worst enemy. On the national level, it’s stuff like the sexcapdes of Indiana Republican Rep. Mark Souder, who was forced to resign earlier this week after having an affair with a member of his staff. Said resignation wouldn’t have happened if he were a Democrat, of course, but that is neither here nor there. These things hurt Republicans because our message is one of “family values” and having affairs with staff members doesn’t fit the message.
In Harris County, we don’t have to worry about those things because we recently had a purifying primary and all our candidates are on the up and up. Right? So you’d think it would be a breeze, a cakewalk for us in November, right? Not so fast. Enter one Don Sumners, candidate extraordinaire, as pure as the driven snow, Tea Party before it was cool, etc. It is just too quiet on the front for Mr. Sumners, so he went ahead and attacked…no, not his opponent…other Republicans! Yippee! Here is an email he sent out to his supporters:
Appointment of Voter Registrar?
I have just learned that there is probably a move underway to have an appointed Elections Administrator take over the voter registration function from the Tax Assessor-Collector and the elections function from the County Clerk. Obviously, the most important consequence of this action to Republicans would be the loss of operation and oversite of these important functions. Republicans should retain these elected positions in November.
The appointment of a Elections Administrator has long been supported by Commissioner Garcia. Supposedly, Republican Commissioners favor this change in retaliation for conservatives Stan Stanart and myself defeating the Commissioners’ picked candidates in the March Primary. Reportedly, appointed Tax Assessor-Collector Leo Vasquez and County Clerk Beverly Kaufman are also cooperating in the effort, probably out of bitterness, but don’t rule out job appointments.
It is truly amazing to me that these Republican officials would act so irresponsibly as to put their anger at two fellow Republicans for defeating their choices ahead of maintaining the integrity of the voter roll and elections. This is especially true after the Democrats argued for relaxed voter registration rules for elections in a contentious lawsuit against the Tax Assessor-Collector settled a little more than a year ago. More to come on this rumor as more is learned.
Don Sumners
That is a copy/paste, don’t blame me for the grammar or spelling, I have enough of my own problems in that area. And frankly, the last line in his email says more about him and his candidacy than I could ever say. And about the way Republican primaries are run these days.
Now, I don’t really have an opinion on who runs Harris County voter registration or our elections, as long as there are checks and balances. It seems to me that our way of running elections has served us okay, if not well. But pretty much every other urban area in Texas has gone the route of the Election Administrator, as outlined in the Texas Election Code:
Sec. 31.032. APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATOR; COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION. (a) The position of county elections administrator is filled by appointment of the county election commission, which consists of:
(1) the county judge, as chair;
(2) the county clerk, as vice chair;
(3) the county tax assessor-collector, as secretary; and
(4) the county chair of each political party that made nominations by primary election for the last general election for state and county officers preceding the date of the meeting at which the appointment is made.
(b) The affirmative vote of a majority of the commission’s membership is necessary for the appointment of an administrator.
(c) Each appointment must be evidenced by a written resolution or order signed by the number of commission members necessary to make the appointment. Not later than the third day after the date an administrator is appointed, the officer who presided at the meeting shall file a signed copy of the resolution or order with the county clerk. Not later than the third day after the date the copy is filed, the county clerk shall deliver a certified copy of the resolution or order to the secretary of state.
(d) The initial appointment may be made at any time after the adoption of the order creating the position.
Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 864, Sec. 15, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
I really don’t see why Mr. Sumners has a problem with that, other than the fact that a Republican wouldn’t be directly in charge of it. It does tend to make me wonder why it is so important that a Republican be in charge but with the ACORN scandals and all, I can see it being something to take into consideration. But you also have to look ahead to the future and what happens when/if the Democrats take the County Clerk and Tax Assessor/Collector positions? Will we then look fondly at this law and wish we had taken advantage of it when we could?
But what I really don’t understand is Mr. Sumners’ attack on County Judge Ed Emmett, County Commissioner Steve Radack, County Commissioner Jerry Eversole, current County Clerk Beverly Kaufman, and current Tax Assessor/Collector Leo Vasquez. It makes absolutely no sense to me. So, I asked Judge Emmett and TAC Vasquez about replacing the current system with an Election Administrator.
Judge Emmett: Nearly all urban counties have gone this route as specified by state law. We need to find out why and what the cost is. At the end of the process, my goal is to have the best public policy. Period.
TAC Vasquez: I have always asserted that there are no functions of the Tax Office which are partisan. Everyone has to pay their property taxes. Everyone has to register their vehicles. Everyone [who’s eligible] gets to register to vote. An Elections Administrator would help ensure Voter Reg and Elections are run by an independent, professional manager, rather than someone potentially swayed by political influences and concern about winning their next election.
I have not taken an official position of being for or against the EA idea. I will reserve final commitment, for or against, until after I see the proposed structure of an EA department, but I will fully cooperate with Commissioners Court, the County Clerk and the Budget Office while they study the concept.
Judge Emmett also noted that the board required by state law which chooses the Election Administrator includes both the County Clerk and the Tax Assessor/Collector. Besides, as best as I can tell, none of the Republicans are “pushing” for this, they just think it is a good idea to look into the feasibility of it. So why then would Sumners attack them? I mean, does anyone seriously think that all these elected officials would implement this program simply to spite Don Sumners and Stan Stanart? Seriously?
If attacking Republicans isn’t enough, he goes and says something stupid about Hispanics:
“I don’t have a problem with their (Hispanics) agenda except for trying to get benefits that may not have been earned.”
Which he tried to clarify later:
Sumners acknowledged Wednesday that the statement was “probably not as good as it should have been.” He said he meant to draw attention to the impact that illegal immigrants have on the public hospital district, local schools and jails, but he did not mean to imply that all or most Hispanics are illegal immigrants.
Great. Insulting the demographic that the Harris County Republican Party is trying to reach out to.
With candidates like this, we can’t lose! Right? Wrong. I’ve tried to be a good little Republican and like him but after the way he ran the primary and now this, well, it’s tough. Does he think he can win without Emmett carrying him across the finish line? That’s nuts.
I hope Chairman Woodfill has a plan to get this fractured party back together again. The election is only five months away.