Obviously, this is not unexpected. It isn’t human nature to be active in an organization, rising to a certain level of ‘status’, and then relinquish that status to a newcomer without a fight. I bring this up to illustrate the problem that Republican pollsters are having right now in trying to predict a primary election that is still over five months out.
This is illustrated very well in a series of emails late last week and over the weekend between a ‘new’ candidate for office and an entrenched precinct chair. Fortunately, someone has posted several of them online so that I do not have to repost them here. Here is a synopsis:
Mary Huls is an announced candidate for State Representative 129 in the Republican Primary. She will be challenging incumbent Rep. John Davis. Her husband, Dale, sent out an email on her behalf announcing her first mixer/fund raiser/rally, which will be held tonight. Being the budding campaign manager that he is, he took the initiative to send the announcement to the precinct chairs that 129 covers. One of those chairs, David Fuson, Precinct 537, took umbrage with that, replying:
Thank you for your email. I often wonder about folks who blast out emails to huge lists of people they don’t know in the dark of night.
How very nice! Welcome to our playground! Rather than being flattered that someone bothered to notice his lofty position in the Republican Party, he chastises them for emailing him. But that isn’t the worst part.
First, he chides her for not voting in but 2 of the last 5 General Elections. If he had bothered to ask, he would have learned that she didn’t live in Texas during those missed General Elections. But heck, why bother with truth when you can hack away at some newcomer, right? Second, he chides her for voting in the Democratic Primary in 2008 and for never having voted in a Harris County Republican Primary.
I’m guessing he forgot all about Rush Limbaugh’s urging of voters to crash the Democratic primaries and vote for Hillary Clinton (we’ll have to overlook her response that she actually voted for Obama to make this case…). An awful lot of Republicans around the country did the same thing because of the flawed primary system that delivered John McCain to us long before we had a choice.
He also tells her that she should help other Republican candidates prior to trying to be one. Bizarrely, he continues by asking her if she had worked for ACORN.
Other than that bizarre statement about ACORN, those points really aren’t out of line and I asked similar questions of her earlier this year. I mean, why not start as a precinct chair or election judge and get a little dirt under your nails before running for a State office? Regardless, it was her choice and she was free to make it. As Mr. Fuson was free to question it.
But then it just gets weirder. He basically mocks her for working at a Starbucks Coffee Shop and pretty much decides she is some sort of commie/pinko from Eastern Europe:
Conducting a serious campaigning for public office is hard work, to say nothing of the expense. It seems that your work at Starbucks as a ‘barista’. Let me assure you that Texas politics is a far cry from the idle chatter of those who sit and sip coffee. There is a history of young radicals sitting in coffee shops fomenting political upheaval, but this is not Eastern Europe, its Texas.
Say what? Young radicals sitting in coffee shops? This is a woman that is balancing work, family and a new found desire to change the system. Hardly a radical idea in America these days.
If that is the HCRP’s way of welcoming new grassroots activists, they are going to be in for quite the shock come election day.
Speaking of researching votes, I thought this was very interesting. That link opens a copy of HCRP 2008 Precinct Chairman Endorsement Results (02-22-08), which is a compilation of all of the precinct chairs recommendations for the Primary. Did I say interesting? I sure did and did I ever mean it. Take a look at the recommendation for Senator from Mr. Fuson (the choice was Sen. John Cornyn or….):
Larry Kilgore
Luther Bakenhus-185, David Fuson-537
I’ve been laughing ever since I saw that on Saturday. This guy mocks a mother and Starbucks worker for daring to get into politics at a level he thinks is inappropriate at the same time he is promoting a guy that is deemed one of the 5 Certifiably Insane Politicians People Still Voted For. Here is just a small portion of Kilgore’s platform:
His issues are mostly grounded in the Bible and are centered on ending abortion. Here are some of Kilgore’s positions
Judges shall carry out the death penalty against murderers, including those who abort a fetus, within 24 hours of conviction. Crimes of other bodily injury would result literally in an eye for an eye.
Adultery with a married woman would carry the death sentence.
Public use of vulgar sexual language would result in flogging.
“Judges will flog more severely those convicted of transvestism…”
The state should stop spending money on the “government indoctrination of children” also known as public schools.
Last, but not least, “Texas should secede because the U.S. has sealed its doom.”
Do a search on this guy and tell me that Mr. Fuson is more deserving of respect than Mary Huls. I can’t wait to see him endorse Mr. Kilgore for Governor! Are you getting the picture now of how the far religious right has taken over the party? For crying out loud, this is the best that the HCRP has to offer?
Harris County Republicans, heal thyself. Oh, and good luck, Mrs. Huls!