Without taking sides in the race, a broad coalition of Harris County Republican grassroots leaders has called on our Republican state representatives to caucus separately and select a Republican Speaker candidate by secret ballot, then to join forces in unity to elect that candidate as Speaker. This proposal is sensible and practical. It would be healthy for our Party and the conservative cause, now and in the future.
After the March 2010 primary, legions of us toiled though spring heat, summer heat, and slightly‑less‑autumn‑heat, knocking on doors, calling voters, spreading our message, rallying for candidates, posting yard signs, contributing money, donating time, and turning out the vote to elect Republicans up and down the ballot. We campaigned especially hard in Texas House races – races crucial to lasting success and dependent on grassroots for victory. In the
Meanwhile, a growing number of grassroots GOP activists has been building for the long‑term. One group of us, Conservatives In Action, has been fashioning tools and methods to build sustainable political infrastructure through multiple election cycles. Among these tools are a webtool we named Precinct Manager to empower Republican precinct chairs and captains to manage, organize, and communicate with voters, volunteers, and other activists. We will help support organizers with practical help, training, and collaboration. With decentralized organization, activists can self‑organize and mobilize, minimizing the drag of an outmoded top‑down, centralized command‑and‑control approach to political organization.
As an outgrowth of that effort, a broad swath of Harris County Republican precinct chairs have joined together to add their names to a letter (click here to view) addressed to GOP House members and Republican Party and elected officials. It asks them all to urge GOP Texas state representatives to choose a candidate for the 2011 Texas House Speaker using a new method: by secret ballot in a Republican caucus.
The traditional scheme has Speaker candidates getting individual pledges from House members. That isolates representatives from constituents and creates needless division. With the heated rhetoric being bandied about, many are concerned the Speaker race will dilute our historic achievements this year, divide Republicans, and hurt our cause.
To minimize these problems, we propose that House Republicans caucus as a group to select one Republican candidate for Speaker by secret ballot. That candidate would then have the backing of all GOP House members in the full assembly.
Why should we pester House members about electing the Speaker? Edmund Burke taught us long ago the value of “virtual” representation in a republic. We elect our Legislature to pass laws for us. We respect the opinions and good-faith efforts of our elected officials. But activists don’t have to be mute. Electing lawgivers does not bar us from petitioning them in how to vote. Citizen lobbying is no less noble than lobbying by special interests. We don’t give up our rights to voice opinions when we elect our representatives. The grassroots can’t afford to be silent.
The State Republican Executive Committee already supported a similar caucus concept (though slightly different in scope) by resolution in September. Our proposal leaves details to the House members to resolve. But adding more grassroots voices should make the choir harder to ignore.
Why secret ballot? Transparency in government is good. Transparency in passing legislation is essential. But we believe that, on balance, a secret ballot in this instance will make the Speaker selection process less susceptible to old‑fashioned arm‑twisting. The aim would be to minimize coercion while promoting Party cohesiveness and unity. Again, it’s time to end politics as usual.
The leaderless Tea Party movement has been a prime example of the modern approach to political organization. Like the Internet itself, organizations that don’t depend on central control can be nimble, effective, adaptable, and resilient. That is our model and vision for the future. Conservatives, in what blogger Glenn Reynolds calls an “Army of Davids,” are on the march!
Paul Simpson is a conservative Republican activist and former Precinct Chair, SD-13 Republican Chair, Treasurer, and Legal Counsel for the Harris County Republican Party.