Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Last minute money dump could impact down-ballot races

A couple of weeks is a long time in political terms. There was plenty of time, for example, between this Feb. 21 post and this one for there to be much more to report on.

Kronberg made some noise last week complaining about the money game that appears to surround a few previously pro-Craddick legislators. Of course, what he didn't get into was that at least a couple of the groups collecting and spending cash were doing so along ideological lines, and not speaker-loyalty ones. I'll be far more fair than he was and state unequivocally that I believe the Texas Parent PAC is collecting and spending money along ideological lines, too - an ideology that favors school administrators over taxpayers, sure, but an ideology nonetheless.

The Parent PAC, previously focusing only on Joe Tison in HD 61, found itself flush with new cash recently, and dumped money into the coffers of Doug Miller (challenging Rep. Nathan Macias in New Braunfels), Rep. Charlie Geren, and Rep. Pat Haggerty. One has to wonder, what do Tison, Miller, Geren, and Haggerty really have in common? Haggerty is definitely furniture, and in Geren's and Miller's cases, it's just the same old song from the last primary (last time, instead of Miller, it was then-incumbent Carter Casteel - it's largely believed that Miller and Casteel are cut from the same pro-big-spending cloth).

Again, though, I wonder about HD 61. Rep. Phil King is taking hits from the gambling lobby and the educrat community. Is it just that any chance to gain an educrat in the House is a worthy cause for the Parent PAC?

Other races the Parent PAC has gotten involved in include HD 144, Robert Talton's former seat. They gave money to Republican candidate Fred Roberts. His website reveals....well, it reveals nothing about the candidate himself (check it out here). They've also given some money to former Richardson city council member James Shepherd, who is running in a four-way race to succeed local government's best friend and the taxpayer's worst enemy, Fred Hill. The Parent PAC also gave money to Republican Paula Stansell, challenging Rep. Charlie Howard down in Fort Bend County.

Never fear, Democrats! The Parent PAC is also looking out for your guys...kind of. They gave money to both Rep. Paul Moreno and Rep. Juan Escobar. But don't worry - the PAC's still got your interests in mind, just look at the so-called "Republicans" they're backing above!

Today is primary election day in Texas, and it's time to see if all the money being pushed around has a major effect or not. If you haven't gone to the polls, you better leave soon - lines are already forming.

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