
The filing deadline has passed and we have some interesting primary races in the Harris County Republican Party. I’ll take a look at them one by one, starting with the race to see who leads the party. Incumbent Chair Paul Simpson is being challenged by long-time grassroots activist Keith Nielsen.
I’m not sure why Paul is running again, it’s a thankless job that requires almost full time hours and pulls you away from your family and paying job. I’m not sure why Keith is running either. But I suppose someone has to do it, right?
The biggest complaint that I hear about Paul is that Republicans have been wiped out in the last two elections. If you blame Paul for that, then no amount of logic is going to change your mind. If that is you, then Keith is a great alternative for you. He’s energetic, passionate, outgoing and is willing to work with anyone.
But is it Paul’s fault that Republicans were wiped out? What are the duties of a party chair? Do changes in the demographics of the county matter?
No, it is not the chair’s fault that Republicans were wiped out. The job of the chair is to organize the party and Paul has done that quite well. In fact, I have never seen the party better organized, managed and financially sound. And I think any objective person would agree with that. The staff is very professional, active and responsive to precinct chairs. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the new Vice-Chair, Dana Myers. The committees are active and functioning, which has not always been the case.
We’ve known for years that changes in the demographics of the county would affect Republicans, which is one reason we advocated for changes in the way the party was being run. And under Paul’s leadership in 2014, we had a countywide sweep, don’t forget about that. Most people thought we had until 2022 or even 2024 before losing the county. But along came Donald Trump in 2016 and Beto in 2018 and the process speed up. Paul Simpson had nothing to do with that and you are fooling yourself if you believe otherwise.
One of the latest criticisms of Paul is that we do not have a full slate of Republican judicial candidates. They say that Paul didn’t do enough outreach and didn’t hold a traditional petition signing party. They are wrong, as usual. Here is a list of the outreach the party did to try and attract quality candidates via Genevieve Carter, HCRP Communications Director.
RECRUITMENT/TRAINING EFFORTS:
Wednesday, July 24
Judicial Candidate Orientation Session
Hosted by HCRP. Our Judicial Screening Committee was also involved. The panel included Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd, as well as RPT/SREC/TRCCA recruiter Cat Parks. (We have a testimonial from her saying it was the best recruiting effort in the state of Texas.) Facebook link
- We worked with RPT on recruiting candidates to attend the orientation session.
- Worked with Leadership Institute and our HCRP Candidates Committee to help organize candidate trainings to encourage and give candidates more tools and resources.
- We sent mass text messages to our network encouraging/asking people to run for office.
- General feedback we received early from candidates and their campaigns was that they did not want to pay for a big signing party, as done in the past, that used to cost about $25K, so HCRP planned the other events (listed below).
EFFORTS TO GATHER SIGNATURES:
- Starting in the late summer/fall, we sent continuous emails directly to the judicial candidates to keep them updated on events and opportunities to gather signatures hosted by our Republican clubs and other organizations.
- Sept. 7, HCRP had a judicial signing section with tables available specifically for candidates to gather signatures at our Annual Campaign Kickoff at Cadillac Bar.
- Starting in the spring, HCRP organized monthly happy hours around the County where we invited judicial candidates to bring petitions.
- HCRP blasted emails in November to all Precinct Chairs asking for each to pick up petitions at our offices and gather signatures from their friends and family.
HCRP PETITION SIGNING EVENTS:
- Wednesday, Oct. 2 Joint Happy Hour & Petition Signing Party with HCRP & HYR – Facebook link approx. 50
- Saturday, Nov. 2 2020 Judicial Candidate Petition Signing Party at HCRP HQ Facebook link approx. 250 attendees
- Monday, Nov. 25 CD-7 Precinct Chair Candidate Forum at HCRP approx. 60 attendees
- Sunday, Dec. 1 HCRP Glorious Way Church Petition Signing Event Northwest Houston area approx. 125 attendees
- Tuesday, Dec. 3 HCRP Christmas Party & Judicial Signing Event at Cottonwood (provided a drink ticket for any attendee that signed petitions) Facebook event approx. 125 attendees
- Thursday, Dec. 5 HCRP Kingwood Holiday Happy Hour & Judicial Signing Event approx. 25 attendees
Also, she pointed out that no candidate failed to file due to a lack of petition signatures and that several candidates had over 1,200 signatures. The bottom line is that the party had its best ever organized recruitment process and it isn’t the chair’s fault that candidates do not want to be identified as Republicans or want to be on the same ballot as Donald Trump.
We know what needs to happen for Republicans to win again in Harris County. We first have to stop being the party of old white folks. We have to start being the party of inclusion. We have to return to Ronald Reagan’s mantra of “The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally”. We have to identify and groom young conservatives of all colors, faiths, LGBT, and any other person that agrees with us 80% of the time.
If we know what to do, then why aren’t we doing it? Selfishness and perceived power and entitlement. A recent example is the mess that Josh Flynn created at the HCDE (click here for more). All in the name of personal ambition and entitlement. We already had two young, dynamic candidates in that race but hey, my daddy is a rep, I’m a white male, get out of my way. And that district screams for a young, dynamic conservative that isn’t a white male.
The old time power brokers are all old, white males and do not want to cede any of their perceived influence and now one of them is now donating to newly elected Democrat judges even as he rails against Paul’s leadership. Yes, Gary Polland, I saw the $1,000 you donated to Judge Natalia Oakes and the $750 you donated to Judge Michelle Moore. Our consultant base only knew how to win primaries and not general elections. Consultants with fresh ideas and experience winning in purple districts are ignored. In short it is a mess.
The current chair, Paul Simpson, is already working to address every issue I pointed out, as well as having the party’s finances in the best shape ever. Before you make an emotional choice, become informed on the issues.
David. Demographics play a role. But watching how little HCRP did to help council candidates is shameful. It guarantees a loss In addition the local Republican Party should be spearheading investigations into the way ABC’s Democratic officeholders are performing their jobs. The local media is all but gone adding to low information voters. The republicans need to stop the internal fight and concentrate on the real fight.
It is gone.
Wayne is right on. Both Harris and Fort Bend Democratic parties were supporting their candidates. Harris County Republican Party is dead.
David. Demographics play a role. But watching how little HCRP did to help council candidates this year is shameful. It guarantees a loss In addition the local Republican Party should be spearheading investigations into the way ABC’s Democratic officeholders are performing their jobs. The local media is all but gone adding to low information voters. The republicans need to stop the internal fight and concentrate on the real fight.
Dolcefino is off the mark. Wonder if he would weigh in had his son not run for Houston City Council. Funny, I do not remember him commenting on any previous Big Jolly posts, but I could be wrong. In any event, sounds a bit biased and uninformed to me.
Dolcefino is right about the media being ‘gone’.
The Houston Chronicle is a despicable liberal rag; radio news is maintained in a version of Dick Cheney’s secret bunker somewhere in Harris County; and TV News is the equivalent of a modification of Tennessee Williams stage magician: They give you reports which have the appearance of news. It’s a literal journalistic cesspool and waste ground.
As far as Republican leadership, the Party has controlled the levers of power for both the property tax system and the public education accountability system for almost 25 years in Texas creating a mess in two systems racked by gross inequity, operational abuse, and systemic academic dishonesty in terms of public education accountability. The deficiencies in those two major systems rest within the past quarter century of the power structure of the Texas Republican Party. You may not like that; tough.
As far as the current GOP leadership, I am reminded of Bush’s insightful comment: “Heck of a job Brownie…”
Changing demographics alone does not explain the magnitude of the butt kicking that happened in Fort Bend and Harris Counties in particular.
George Scott
The comments I pasted below is the true picture what few left Republicans minorities that were active and trying to learn…we realize we were considered not to be educated in political Science so our grassroots gut feel on our people was not needed just our votes. We left with our “common sense” and now the Party has to try and regroup itself and start back over again. I saw several Republican Latinos group trying to make inroads with HCGOP and what took place on us was divide and concur. All gone.
The Republican Hispanic Citizens in Action was one of the largest and very active in the communities. We give honor to the following persons that stood and help us : 1) Allen Blakemore, 2) Jared Woodfill, 3) Senator Ted CRUZ, 4) and Judge Moore, 5) Candidate Kathleen Wall, but Allen was the key factor behind the scenes. Allen, if get a chance to read this we in our group thank you. I will always be gratefull. Bernadette
then why aren’t we doing it? Selfishness and perceived power and entitlement. A recent example is the mess that Josh Flynn created at the HCDE (click here for more). All in the name of personal ambition and entitlement. We already had two young, dynamic candidates in that race but hey, my daddy is a rep, I’m a white male, get out of my way. And that district screams for a young, dynamic conservative that isn’t a white male.
The old time power brokers are all old, white males and do not want to cede any of their perceived influence
Demographics do more than just play a role. Harris County is now overwhelmingly Democratic and there is nothing the Republicans can do about it. Republicans can only win in districts where Republicans are in the majority.
And it won’t be too long before the Republicans lose control of Texas. Demographics count for an awful lot.
“And it won’t be to long before the Republicans lose control of Texas.”
Such defeatism!
I think you want the Democrats to win.
We need to:
Not speak I’ll of other Republicans
Unite against the Marxists
&
Not read negative “doom and gloomers” like Howie.
I am curious Mr. Shaw, how do you define a Republican?
If they support LGBT agendas, like same sex marriage are they Republicans?
If they believe that abortion is something that God should judge not us, are they Republicans?
Mr. Shaw do you believe that Mexico sends us the drug dealers, the rapists, the murders, with a few exceptions?
If one believes that trillion dollar budgets are wrong are they Republicans?
Is it okay to grab them by the ????
Two years ago Abbott spent $200,000 trying to defeat Sarah Davis, this year he has already endorsed her and she has received national LGBQ endorsement, is she a Republican.
Four years ago I voted in the what will be my last Republican primary and have promised myself that I will never vote for a Republican again. Why, because Trump; and his supporters painted a large target on my back and the backs of all people that look Mexican, any idiot should be able to see that. Even Native Americans are being told to go back, they look Mexican.
So what is a Republican Mr. Shaw?
Manuel,
I’m not Mr. Shaw, but, if you’re interested here’s my answer. I believe that, first and foremost, a Republican is someone who believes, like George Washington that “Government, like fire, is a troublesome servant and a terrible master”. As a Republican, I don’t care what your race, gender, creed, or national origin is. I believe that Republicans think that personal responsibility is a good thing and that consistently relying on the government for answers to life issues is a bad thing.
As a Republican, I don’t care who you sleep with. That’s your business. I also don’t believe that who you sleep with is the most defining part of who you are. If your political and social interactions are controlled by your sexual orientation, that indicates a narrow view of life in general. It’s possible that I might disagree with your lifestyle choices. You might disagree with mine. So what.
I don’t care where you came from. I assume that if you’re here now, it’s because you actually want to be here. (If you’re being held against your will, please contact authorities!) If you want to be here, embrace your new home, learn the language, wave an American flag, dig on some American history. If you are here without permission, you need to make it right. Yes our immigration laws are crappy, and yes they need to be fixed. But they are still our laws and as such, starting our in your new home by breaking the la is a poor start.
I think that any coherent, rational adult, should be appalled at our national debt, Republican or Democrat. Actually paying off a 20+ Trillion dollar debt is the work of multiple lifetimes, but we could at least stop adding to the total. Unfortunately that is the work of leaders and statesmen and what we mostly have in Washington are self-serving politicians and grifters. Not that we aren’t to blame – we put them there. The debt problem won’t go away until it becomes a dire national emergency/disaster. Balancing our budget will continue to be impossible as long as we (collectively) continue to outsource caring for the poor and weak and ill-fortuned rather than getting personally involved ourselves.
As for Abortion, well, Manuel, I guess here we’re just going to have to disagree. If you believe that a primary job of government is to protect life (remember that peaking phrase in the Declaration?) then it would stand to reason that the smallest and weakest would deserve that same protection. A baby is a baby – whether it’s in a womb or a bassinet.
So, there you go. I suspect that most members of the Republican party would agree.
Why would you even bring up if I am from here, are you from here or one of those illegal aliens, Fat Albert? My Spanish ancestors were here before Jamestown. My Native American ancestors were the first humans to set foot in the Americas. When did your ancestors come to America Fat Albert? What country they did flee from?
As to your take on abortion, I guess that life only exists in the womb, because after birth it no longer becomes part of the governments responsibility. I have more faith in God who will sort it out when the times comes for judgement.
As to starting out by by breaking in to the home of others, wonder what history has to say about who were the owners of the Americas..
How many Republicans voted against the reduction in taxes, which added billions to the debt, there were no offsetting cuts. Only place where cuts would make a difference is the military, it is over 50% of the general budget. Please don’t include Social Security and Medicare those are self funded thus should not be included.
Recently they passed a spending bill that added even more to the debt, how many Republicans voted against it?
But like I stated when the Republicans nominated Trump, they lost me forever. I will do everything to make sure Republicans are not elected, if it means giving small donations to Democratic candidates. I gave to Doug Jones and Conner Lamb. Beto did his part in ousting many Republicans in
Texas. I will soon give to his PACs to help take over the Texas Legislature. I have already given to MJ Hegar and will give some more.
The Republican Party no longer exists, it is the party of Trump.
Manuel,
I was using the term “you” in a generic general sense. The comment was NOT directed at you personally. I apologize for the misperception.
My take on abortion? I’m curious about your statement:”….. after birth it (life) no longer becomes part of the governments responsibility.” I thought that there were laws against taking someones life. I think we call that “murder”. But hey, maybe I’m behind the times.
As for the debt and Government overspending, as I said, the Republicans haven’t been one bit better than the Democrats. Please note however, that when you (or your employer) sends fica and medicare taxes to the Treasury department, that money goes into the general fund along with all of the other taxes the Government collects. You and a lot of other people can continue to insist that Social Security and Medicare are “self funded”. But that doesn’t make it true. Congress started robbing the Social Security fund back in the Johnson administration.
I get that you don’t like Trump. A lot of people don’t. A lot of other people do. That’s why we have elections. I’m guessing that on November 4t, 2020 we’re going to find out that more voters picked Trump than the Democrat nominee. But hey, your life, your choice. But I’ve got to say that if your giving money to someone who wants to ignore the 2nd Amendment completely, then you aren’t the guy I thought you were.
I don’t get this problem that the Trump Party people have with making false statements. Which one of the candidates that I mentioned wants to get rid of all guns? Why must misinformation or if you prefer alternative reality be part of any argument that Trump Party people make?
I did not intend to respond to any to Fat Albert, but I won’t allow him to misstate, what I wrote. He can add all of his misinformation that his mind can come up with, but don’t add misstatements to what I wrote. Everyone in my immediate family has guns, two of my brothers were police officers and have sons that are police officers.
Manuel:
You said you were giving money to Beto O’Rourke. Here is a video of him saying that he’s going to take your guns away: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk47PWI4aq8. Also, please note that completely misquoted me I said “I’ve got to say that if your giving money to someone who wants to ignore the 2nd Amendment completely. . . ” I said nothing about someone who wants to get rid of “all” guns.
Also, please note that nothing I wrote, IN ANY WAY, indicated that I’m a particular fan of Donald Trump. But, when you put him up against the collection of candidates the Democrats have currently assembled. . . . .
Like I said the only thing that the Trump Party has are fibs to promote what ever they believe in.
Beto said assault weapons, not guns. Why do you people have to always tell fibs? Harris County is already Blue, I would not be surprised that Texas votes for a Democrat, depending on the candidate for president. So keep the fibs going the number of Patriotic God fearing Americans are starting to see through the deception.
Oops Manuel, my bad. I’d forgotten that assault weapons are not guns.
Like I said the only thing that Trump Party supporter have are fibs. Fat Albert you said “ignore the 2nd Amendment completely”. Banning Assault Weapons does not do away with the 2nd Amendment, any 3rd grader would know that. I am assuming that you are much more intelligent than that, thus as I stated the only thing Trump Party people have are fibs. If fact Beto O’Rourke is a gun owner.
As to socialist let me remind the Trump Party people that the largest socialist program is occurring right now, with the 28 billion handouts to farmers. Are farmers exempt from the capitalist system, the market wills sort it out?
Mr. Shaw, if you believe I want the democrats to win, you must still believe in the tooth fairy.
You obviously know little if anything about demographics. As the city populations continue to grow while the rural population declines, the number of Democrats increase while the number of Republicans decline. It’s simple as that.
Mr. Katz,
I apologize for my statement that you “hope the Democrats win.”
Anyone who has read this blog, even a little, knows how ridiculous that statement is.
I misdirected my frustration.
Frustration at other Republicans who seem to want to fight each other rather than face the obvious Socialist threat.
I agree that the demographic changes (to Harris County, Fort Bend, Texas, and America) are challenging.
To be able to compete, the GOP has to remain relevant.
To do this, I suggest that we (starting with me) take a good look at Reagan’s 11th Commandment.
To you, and all the conservative patriots who read/contribute to this blog
A very Happy New Year.
Mr. Barrera,
That is indeed a good question.
I define a Republican as someone who goes to work everyday and follows the law.
If that sounds simple, I am a simple man.
My experience tells me that many of the folks in the communities to name (LGBT, Latino etc.) would fit my definition.
I share much of the frustration you vent with the people you name.
I can’t speak to them.
I sincerely don’t believe things would be better if the Socialists win (these aren’t moderate John Sharp/Eddie Lucio Dems we are talking about).
I appreciate your passion for Texas.
It is easy to sell to a client who likes you. It is another thing entirely to successfully sell your product to a hostile or skeptical prospective client. It is always a good idea to keep in mind that all clients want to know “what’s in it for them”. Too often I have heard well meaning GOP stalwarts say, “All we have to do is educate the other side’s voters to our point of view.” To some extent that is true, but job one is to figure out what the voters want and need and do their best to deliver on those needs, which may require some adjustment to operating philosophy.
Wow! A Simple Simon sighting! That’s a blast from the past!
I agree with you.
DJ
Wow. This post drew impassioned responses. Certainly much of the 2018 republican loss of Harris County was due to changing demographics. But, Paul Simpson’s role in the defeat of republicans in Harris County was infinites-able in comparison to the failure of the republican commissioners and county judge to promote the successes of the Harris County under republican leadership.
Foremost the commissioners court failed to recognize the unusual makeup of the county with one half of the residents living outside the City of Houston, which called for a unique coherent form of county governence.
The republican commissioners court did not provide the public with any “vision” for the future economic or quality of life success of the county under their leadership. Especially, they have failed to remind the county’s residents in unincorporated areas how well they have faired under republican leadership in comparison to Houston residents.
While the county’s population soared, the commissioners starved the budgets of some elected republicans charged with directly serving the public and failed miserably to provide adequate facilities for their use. The result, crowded facilities with inadequate staff. The tax office, which I have personal experience with, is a great example.
The commissioners defiantly refused to provide relief from increasing property taxes, instead choosing to build unnecessary financial reserves. In addition, they could have created huge goodwill with the public by holding off increases in toll road fares where they have accumulated a billion dollar surplus.
There’s more, but you get the point.
If there is to be any hope for a future republican comeback, it must be with a unified plan concentrating on convincing the public new visionary republican leadership is necessary to prevent the county from becoming just a larger version of the City of Houston with all its problems.
That comes from Sumners who pretends to want to abolish HCDE in order to get elected. He spent almost 6 years there and accomplished nothing except voting for the schools he complains about. With Republican saboteurs like Sumners, who needs Demon-rats?
For the record the last time I voted in Republican Primary 2016, I supported Simpson, He is the only thing that has kept the Republicans in power as long as they have in Harris County. Those days where Republicans controlled Harris County are over, you can thank Trump for losing Harris County, even if Trump loses in 2020 he will keep tweeting, he is the guy that will keep giving to the Democrats, reminding people of what the Republican Party has become.
I notice not many of you are bad mouthing Sarah Davis they way you did two years ago, she is pro choice and for same sex marriage, how much you’ll have changed.
Let me see last time I heard the Lt. Governor he was talking sensible gun control. How times have changed.
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2019/09/06/texas-lt-gov-dan-patrick-says-he-will-defy-nra-take-lead-on-gun-background-checks/