there’s no way in Hades my Rep is NOT going to vote for him. My rep’s father was one of the 11 R’s who voted against Craddick and got Straus elected. All he had to do was use all of dear departed dad’s signs to plaster all over the place to get elected. And he won in a landslide. So I need all the ammo I can get to change up the good-ol-boy system in my district. It’s going to be a tough fight but I’m up for it.

I struggled to figure out how to do this and Glenn Beck gave me the answer. The 40 Day Challenge. Previously, I had not been active in my local church – so I started going. And I’m going to continue to attend so I become a familiar face, I’m going to get active in community events and I’m going to make sure that the people with influence in my little town know exactly who Straus is and how he got there. By next election cycle, I’ll make sure that those with influence around here won’t let John Kuemple put his sign in their business parking lot or hang it on the feed store fence. His dad only won by a margin and if Straus is elected again, I’ll be sure to point out all the damaging liberal things he does in his next term. If John Kuemple runs and wins a second time, it won’t be for a lack of trying I can promise you that.

How can he sit idly by and watch a Democrat become speaker of the Texas House? I can’t believe that he has no ability to impact this vote. He was squishy on amnesty and is being silent on this crucial selection. Is he just another opportunistic politician? So far it looks like he is.

I will call several other representative offices, like in Dallas and Harris counties, instead!

I contacted Angie Chen Button yesterday and her chief of staff Amanda Jeffers told me that she still plans on voting for Straus!!!! I told her that I would work diligently against her and for her opponent next voting cycle! This is her reply:
Thank you for your e-mails concerning the Speaker of the House. Representative Button plans to support Speaker Straus when the 82nd legislature convenes. She feels that he is the best candidate to ensure the legislature passes a balanced budget without raising taxes, strong illegal immigration legislation, and voter ID legislation along with many other conservative initiatives. I would love the opportunity to discuss the matter with you and to address any concerns you may have. I can be reached at the number below at your convenience.

I contacted Angie Chen Button yesterday and her chief of staff Amanda Jeffers told me that she still plans on voting for Straus!!!! I told her that I would work diligently against her and for her opponent next voting cycle! This is her reply:
Thank you for your e-mails concerning the Speaker of the House. Representative Button plans to support Speaker Straus when the 82nd legislature convenes. She feels that he is the best candidate to ensure the legislature passes a balanced budget without raising taxes, strong illegal immigration legislation, and voter ID legislation along with many other conservative initiatives. I would love the opportunity to discuss the matter with you and to address any concerns you may have. I can be reached at the number below at your convenience.

Angie Chen’s Phone Number is:
Amanda Jeffers

Chief of Staff
Representative Angie Chen Button
(512) 463-0486

Angie Chen’s Phone Number is:
Amanda Jeffers

Chief of Staff
Representative Angie Chen Button
(512) 463-0486

Texans have always been leaders, bold and courageous. It is not bold, nor courageous to vote for a flim flam Democrat supporter. It is courageous to vote for a true conservative who will help Texas lead the country in a political revolution! Go Texas! Go Conservatives!

The ‘Austin machine’ is about to pay a terrible price- for the sake of one man! Is Straus REALLY worth all the millions their buddies will have to spend to fend off all the primary challenges they will face in scores of seats? is he worth the elevated visibility their backroom actions will face for a long time because of this. the loss of an army of grassroots volunteers who will now work against their interests? Even the Austin Machine admits Paxton ‘plays well with others’

Only extreme arrogance prevents them from seeing the cost of having their way on this one is way higher than the benefit gained from Straus (except maybe to true liberals). They are engendering an Obamacare-level backlash and are trying to shrug it off as just a handful. Even when unprecedented numbers of people are communicating with reps and showing up at their offices.

is hanging tough w/Straus. We had a couple noteworthy Dems. in county races go down in Nov. and I new some people that couldn’t support the moderates any more regardless of what they had done on an individual basis. In other words, your either part of the problem or part of the solution.

HF

Larry Phillips. There isn’t much chance that he will vote for anyone but Straus.

Larry Phillips. There isn’t much chance that he will vote for anyone but Straus.

All of the attacks against Mr. Straus are ridiculous. He is a solid leader and has done a great deal of good for this state. Simply because a few do not feel he is “conservative” enough, does not mean the MAJORITY of Texans do not support Mr. Straus. And I am proud of all those who have refused to allow the minority “threaten” them into voting for someone they know is less qualified to serve as Speaker. Just because someone yells the loudest, does not mean they are right.

Called the Hunter office again this morning to firmly ask for a committment. Both offices are not answering their phones so I left my name and number after urging hiim to vote for Ken Paxton.

Here is my promise to Todd Hunter.

If you vote for Joe Straus, I will support a primary opponent against you. If no one else runs, I will primary you. Between now and then, every piece of conservative legislation that Straus kills in committee and every piece of liberal legislation that Straus advances will be on your head and I will see that you get credit for it.

Mr. Hunter will find it hard to get re-elected in a heavily Catholic district if he supports the extremely pro-abortion Joe Straus.

Called the Hunter office again this morning to firmly ask for a committment. Both offices are not answering their phones so I left my name and number after urging hiim to vote for Ken Paxton.

Here is my promise to Todd Hunter.

If you vote for Joe Straus, I will support a primary opponent against you. If no one else runs, I will primary you. Between now and then, every piece of conservative legislation that Straus kills in committee and every piece of liberal legislation that Straus advances will be on your head and I will see that you get credit for it.

Mr. Hunter will find it hard to get re-elected in a heavily Catholic district if he supports the extremely pro-abortion Joe Straus.

My representative, Dr. Charles Schwerter, replaces Dan Gattis in District 20 but is not listed and the phone number previously Mr. Gattis’ is now disconnected so the tool provided does not have a working number to give out. It appears our wheels turn slowly here to update information (yeah, I know it’s only 7-Jan, but…). In addition, there isn’t a listing for the main operator on the TX House of Representatives website so kinda tough to get in and find this stuff . I’m pretty sure I know how Dr. Schwertner will vote, but would’ve been nice to confirm.

I wonder is speaker Strauss had the admins on slow-down … maybe he works for the same folks as the NYC snow plow operators…

Would call my rep to make him vote for Paxton—But Oops, my rep IS Paxton, he has been around for a while and has been conservative the whole time. The time for compromise and getting along is past, Texas is about the best place to prove we on the right have been RIGHT all these decades. Send Strauss to Maine or somewhere, he will fit right in with the other rino’s

Doug Miller TX-73 NW of San Antonio (Boerne, Fredericksberg, New Braunfels)
Call him +18306251313
He is staying with Strauss, even though an unknown barely funded c-libertarian got >15% in the Nov general. 2nd term in Deep red district+vote for Rino=Primary loss in ’12. Having his sister-in-law counting the late returns in his Gillespie County stronghold won’t save him like it did in ’08 when he won his primary by <100 votes.

Doug Miller TX-73 NW of San Antonio (Boerne, Fredericksberg, New Braunfels)
Call him +18306251313
He is staying with Strauss, even though an unknown c-libertarian got >15% in the Nov general. 2nd term in Deep red district+vote for Rino=Primary loss in ’12. Having his sister in law counting the late returns in his Gillespie County stronghold won’t save him like it did in ’08 when he won his primary by <100 votes.

I’ve contacted my new rep, Barbara Nash, and discovered Strauss had gotten to her right after the election. She committed to him and won’t even consider She considers it a real positive that Strauss likes to work with democrats. I’ve e-mailed and called her and no longer get any response. She’s bucking her constiuents on this andshe knows it but quite simply doesn’t really care. I can only conclude if this behavior continues the Tea Party will raise up a candidate against her in the next cycle. This kind of get along and go along politics is no longer acceptable, especially in Texas!

I’ve contacted my new rep, Barbara Nash, and discovered Strauss had gotten to her right after the election. She committed to him and won’t even consider She considers it a real positive that Strauss likes to work with democrats. I’ve e-mailed and called her and no longer get any response. She’s bucking her constiuents on this andshe knows it but quite simply doesn’t really care. I can only conclude if this behavior continues the Tea Party will raise up a candidate against her in the next cycle. This kind of get along and go along politics is no longer acceptable, especially in Texas!

I’ve not been able to find any method of contacting her. I left a voicemail with her campaign phone number a few weeks ago but never heard back. No idea if it’s even being listened to.

I do know she put an announcement back in November opposing attacks on Straus’ faith, but that’s not technically the same thing as supporting him.

She only won by 700 votes, I believe the closest margin in the state, so might be amenable to public concerns … if we can figure out a way to reach her.

I have just been surprised to discover the Beverly Woolley, Texas House Representative from West Houston (Memorial, Spring Branch, Galleria areas) is planning to vote for Joe Straus. I discovered this in an article published by local Fox TV on their website, which is quoted and linked as follows:

Straus Fighting Conservative Wave to Keep Seat

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Republican Rep. Beverley Woolley has heard the threats and seen the television ads warning her that supporting Joe Straus for speaker of the Texas House could cost her re-election.

Still, she’s standing by him.

“I’ve got broad shoulders,” she joked, acknowledging the barrage of attacks from conservative groups.

Woolley, who last month pledged to support the speaker, has been on the receiving end of a grassroots, conservative effort to oust Straus. Activists claim he is too moderate for the newly minted GOP supermajority in the House.

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/politics/110106-TXTexas-Speaker_28328767

I am shocked and appalled. I wrote Beverley a letter a few months ago on this topic and now I have written another one today, the text of which I have included below:

Beverly,

I have just read an article published by local TV station KRIV (Fox 26) here in Houston, quoted below with a link at the bottom of the page, that appears to indicate you are boldly intending to support Joe Straus for Texas Speaker of the House. Is that right? Really?

This is a mistake, Beverly. You need to vote for Ken Paxton.

I voted for you in November, but I swear if you cast this vote in support of Straus, I will never vote for you for any office ever again. Not only that, I will actively support your opponents and actively oppose you in any political effort that you attempt going forward. And I know there are a great many of your other constituents that feel the same way.

Do you take note of what happened to most of the Blue Dog Democrats who voted for Obamacare in the November elections? They got tossed out of office for defying the will of their constituents. Now you are positioning yourself as a Blue Dog Republican in a conservative Houston District. Just as the Congressional Blue Dog Democrats found their “broad shoulders” were not as broad as they originally thought, you may be setting yourself up for a similar experience based on how you handle this one vote.

This is your Obamacare vote, Beverly. Be careful and choose wisely here. Surely you do not want to end your political career be mishandling this one vote. Do you? Please do not vote for Straus. Vote for Ken Paxton. And remember the Blue Dog Democrats who voted for Obamacare. Your shoulders may not be quite as broad as you think.

Here is the quote from the article:

(See above)

Here is a link to Beverly Woolley’s information and contact page on the Texas Legislature website, for anyone who wants to contact her about this:

http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=136

I voted for Beverly Woolley in November. If she votes for Joe Straus to be Texas Speaker of the House, I will not vote for her for anything ever again. I am really disappointed to see her acting like this. I hope she will reconsider.

I don’t know what it isl, but we seem to have a lot of similarities at least in my opinion.

I am really distressed by this, and I would like to see us win something. If we can make one state a flagship for conservative reform, than that would be a powerful thing. TX seemed to be the best choice. I hate seeing so many R’s do this to their own party, to the people that elected them. I don’t think any state had more tea party power than TX.

The question I have is do these “leaders’ think the tea party/conservative movement is a flash in the pan, and is not going to haunt them next election. I don’t think that is true. I have been permanently changed and I am sure I am not the only one. Activists born in these past couple of years will not just go away.

My prayers are with the state of TX today.

some of the representatives? We may not be able to vote against a RINO in Texas, but we sure can financially support the RINOs opponent in his next election. That was very successful last Nov., and it could be again.

Texans….give us some idea of who best to target calls, tweets, or emails to. Let’s create an even larger flood on your RINOs! What do you think?

I am distressed to see Barbara Nash is still “commited” to Straus. I belong to the same 912 group who really got her elected-now she is repaying us by standing with Strauss. We have sent her much info., but she refuses to budge-like Kelly Hancock.
I wonder what kind of a deal Struass has offered them?They had better wake up , because they will be voted out in 2012. They both have many, many of their constituents very upset and willing to vote them out.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE “OLD FASHIONED” FOLLOW THE
WISHES OF THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED YOU” OH, WHAT A NOVEL IDEA!

said on 1/3/10 at the Polk County Rep meeting that he supported Joe Strauss. All the bad press is nothing but a smear campaign and he is a conservative.

Needless to say, he got sent a nasty email a little while ago. Reminded him of Newton’s Law, for every action there is a reaction (elections)