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Newsflash – Texas State Senators “Decide” to Support Dewhurst over Cruz

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  July 9th, 2012 at 05:29 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

For a guy who says he will go to Washington as a “conservative” and fight against the establishment, it sure is curious to see Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst lining up the Texas establishment to defend him in his race for U.S. Senate against the actual conservative, Ted Cruz.

Dewhurst has the support of very few people outside of Austin. Think about it. His most powerful endorsement is that of Rick Perry – which while sad, is understandable given that Perry has worked with him for 10 years. Who else? Well, a whole helluva lot of Austin lobbyists – who know full well that if Dewhurst loses, they have to deal with him as the head of the Texas Senate to get bills passed.

And now – holy cow, out of the blue – we have 18 of the 19 Senators in the Texas Senate coming out in defense of Lt. Governor (and therefore, Presiding officer of the Senate) Dewhurst…

Wonders never cease. What’s even more wondrous about the letter is that the state senators did not even write the letter. According to the metadata of the PDF’ed letter, Michael Grimes, an Austin lobbyist wrote the letter. How very Charlie Crist of David Dewhurst.

You reckon there are any arms being twisted in Austin?

Meanwhile, Cruz has overwhelming grassroots support from all over the state of Texas and beyond. For example, Ted has received almost 38,000 contributions… about 10 times as many donations as Dewhurst’s 3854 – with an average size of $167 vs. $1654 for Dewhurst. His contributions come from 865 Texas cities compared to 265 for Dewhurst.

And best of all – Dewhurst likes to criticize Ted for receiving the endorsement of the likes of Jim DeMint, the Club for Growth and Sarah Palin – calling them “outsiders.”

Yet, South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund has more donors in Texas than does Texas’s own Lt. Governor David Dewhurst!

This race will be about money for ads coming down the stretch, and getting out the vote. If you are in Texas – vote, and take your friends to vote. And wherever you live – send money to help Ted combat Dewhurst’s endless personal wealth and campaign self-funding…

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  • http://teapartisan.wordpress.com Loren Heal

    One of the reasons I’m missing the Gathering this year is that I’m a Republican National Convention delegate, and that will soak up more than my travel budget, by itself.

    The other reason is that I’m going to spend July 22-31 volunteering for the Cruz campaign (also attending FreePAC). Hopefully I’ll spend most of my time walking precincts.

    Anyone who wants to join me is more than welcome.

    With all of that, my darling wife said no to the RSG.

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    While I would love to attend RSG04 (had a blast last year), I’m donating my time and money to working on campaigns. Maybe next year.

  • poorwilber

    The Texas Tea Party can do some arm twisting themselves.

  • AceInTX

    Texas Senate Primary: Cruz 49, Dewhurst 40

    Time to step it up and put Cruz over the top

  • Money

    It’s not just about “arm-twisting.” it’s about their own desire to move up te food chain. If Dewhurst is elected, the state Comstitution says that the Senate must choose his interim replacement from among themselves, which would start a chain-reaction of promotions throughout Austin.

    That’s why Dewhurst has so much Austin insider support.

  • http://wingright.org bnuckols

    So, let’s get this straight:18/19 Republican Senators – an easy majority in the 31 member Senate – didn’t mean what they signed their names to — because you believe that they are collectively – all 18 of them – afraid of David Dewhurst?

    Even Jane Nelson, one of the most poised and competent Legislators in the Nation? Even Florence Shapiro and Ogden who aren’t running again? You’re seriously going to try to tell me Chris Harris, Dan Patrick and John Carona are afraid of anyone?

    Did you see how diplomatically they worded their letter? They didn’t mention Cruz’ name. Just corrected the slander that he has been telling for a year about their actions in the Senate.

    In contrast, Cruz wrote an “Open Letter” directly to Dewhurst, calling him a liar — which means he’s calling all the other Senators liars, too.

    Not only that, but he went to the trouble of opening the Properties folder for the letter and published a screen shot, accusing the man whose name appears of writing the letter. It seems that no one called Mr. Grimes. He doesn’t work where Cruz said he does. He didn’t write the letter. He said he used the computer once, and his name got into the Word program as “author.”

    One thing is certain. He has no idea how much he’s going to need these people, whether or not he runs. If there’s “fear,” perhaps it should be on Cruz’ part: that they’ll hang him out to dry if he does get to DC.

  • http://wingright.org bnuckols

    18/19 could collaborate, but are afraid of Dewhurst? Even the ones who are retiring?

  • popdaddy

    Everyone should read the link to the NRO article above. You better believe all GOP Senators need to be afraid of Dewhurst. He wouldn?t think twice about giving a committee chairmanship to a socialist democrat verses a GOP senator he thought he could not control.

    I?m not sure what has happened to Dan Patrick but apparently he and certainly Dewhurst are prime examples of establishment politics ability to overpower conservative principles.

    Texas needs to send Ted Cruz to the US Senate, a real conservative, not another RINO dragging his special interests to the feed though.

  • mikeymike143

    dewhurst is going down.

  • Money

    Look for Dan Patrick to run for Lt. Governor if Dewhurst wins, or at least have increased power in the Senate when someone else runs. He wants Dewhurst to win for the same reason that other Austin insiders do–so they can get a promotion.

    If he wins, one of the Senators with seniority will be elected Lt. Governor, meaning all the other Senators move up one spot in seniority and a (probably senior) House member gets to move to the upper chamber. Then the rest of the House members get to move up in seniority.

    It’s just politics.

    Vote Cruz and ignore the self-interested politicians in Austin. Even the ones you like.

  • arod

    have not heard much to do with this race lately.
    where did you find this poll?
    was looking earlier today with no luck.
    link?

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    Just want to make sure he knows I’m still responding to your smears of Cruz with continued donations. Keep it up.

  • Ward_Off_Monkey

    http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/texas-senate-primary-cruz-49-dewhurst-40_648192.html

    The poll was an internal poll conducted by the Cruz camp. An update to the article says that Dewhurst’s people say their own polls show Dewhurst leading. Let’s hope and pray that Cruz’s numbers reflect reality and Dewhurst’s arejustwishful thinking. We can ill afford another establishment Republican in Washington.

  • Ward_Off_Monkey

    http://atr.rollcall.com/texas-ted-cruz-internal-poll-shows-lead-over-david-dewhurst/

  • arod

    the update at the end of the article does lead one to wonder.
    suppose an update in a week or two would be more valid.
    election being held in three weeks with early voting commencing soon.

  • Matthew Morris

    Please ignore your lying eyes. They are supporting Dewhurts purely for reasons not rooted in Austinian self-interest.

    Please also ignore the TeaParty All Star list of endorsements Ted Cruz as accrued.

    Instead, listen to what our favorite Austin establishment insiders have to say on the matter!

    Then, get out there, take off work, go to the polls, and vote for David Dewhurst in a special runoff election on July 31. And bring your friends and family with you to do the same!

    YEAH RIGHT!

    There is no WAY the Dewcrist crew can out-motivate the Cruz crew. But for good measure, I intend to multiple my Cruz vote 10-fold with friends and family alone.

    For most people engaged enough to particpate 07/31, the choice is easy. Would they rather have a bump on a log (who may just be a perfectly nice fella, and who might even be capable of working conciliatory magic behind the scenes) or a vanguard articulator? That was easy.

  • anjinconsulting

    I’d have to throw a booty poo flag there friend. I’m not a computer geek, but on my computer running MS Word 2003 that field is populated with the name you assign to the user when you initialize the computer.

  • sbm1

    used to have the problem at work…HR would give me someone they were totally high on, who sometimes turned out to be utterly useless. I suggested firign them in the probationary period….no one listened….then I proposed firing them after the probationary period….no one listened, and I was stuck with them…..and they dragged my department down….and then I found the only way to get rid of them was to compliment them away….basically sing their praises, say how goreat they were,a dn how they were wasting thier talent in my department and with the range of work they could do there…..it got rid of them and made them someone elses problem until they ultimately got fired some years later.

    Maybe that is what they are doing with Dewhurst….

  • merrie7137

    Can anybody tell me if Texas is an open or closed primary state? I have a friend I’ve talked into voting for Cruz, but he isn’t registered to vote yet. Is it too late?

  • citizenkh

    They wrote and signed a letter to set the record straight on lies by the Cruz et al regarding the legislature getting bills passed.

    I’ve also caught Tony Lee in lies in his Breitbart articles.

    http://thearmyyouhave.com/The_Army_You_Have/Retracto.html

    Doesn’t DeMint’s fund also go for other races?

    Why are a number of TX manufacturers all supportive of Dewhurst still? I deal with them every day.

    Last year in Louisiana’s Lt. Gov. race, TP folks made a mistake by supporting the corrupt candidate just because he was a “fighter.”

    BTW, Dewhurst went overboard on the Chinese tire company things as welll.

  • citizenkh

    Cruz was pitiful and petty. Listen to the entire thing and a few other interviews here… http://ksevradio.com/featured/dewhurst-vs-cruz-live-on-ksev

    BTW, Michael Berry was telling his audience that Dewhurst was just as conservative one week, but not as good an orator. A week later and since, you’d swear that he was talking about Obama when he mentions Dewhurst.

    Payola?

  • justperhaps45

    30 days out before an election is req’d

    Your friend needs to get and stay engaged for the general election and beyond. We cats need to stay engaged or the mice will play and spoil the grain.

  • justperhaps45

    It is too late for your friend to register for this round, 30 day out limit.

    Your friend needs to register for the general election and stay engaged. If we don’t pay attention we’ll continue to get what we deserve. While we cats are away the mice will play. VOTE but don’t go away.

  • justperhaps45

    It is too late for your friend to register for this round, 30 day out limit.

    Your friend needs to register for the general election and stay engaged. If we don’t pay attention we’ll continue to get what we deserve. While we cats are away the mice will play. VOTE but don’t go away.

  • justperhaps45

    I have spent a few hours in the same room with Ted Cruz, some one on one. He stands and answers every question. Some of my friends have spent even more time with him and are solid supporters. These are not political novices.

    If a man can be judged by the honor of his parents. Ted wins going away. His father and mother escaped Cuba with a $100 dollars and worked his way through college, started a successful business and to this day they value their hard earned freedom.

    We invited David to forums with the other candidates. He never came, the rest did. Talking to other grassroots leaders, that seems to be his custom. I guess David D. fears the voters but is comfortable in the deal making back room.

    The establishment pols fear the voter who stays engaged. I think that is why they hide and call us names. We’re awake and intend to stay that way.
    gawtp.com

  • msctex

    . . .I have never seen such a disparity of the number of political signs evident in an election. If yard signs are in fact a sign, Cruz has had this thing wrapped up for months. An honest estimate of respective yard signs I have seen driving around Houston, and I have been everywhere house-hunting, would be somewhere around 100 for TC, to precisely two for DD.

  • notpropagandized

    The letter and signings don’t make sense. There has to be some major arm-twisting going on here. I wrote 2 Senators to tell them as nicely as I could that they should be ashamed. Dewhurst has a lot of power it seems and politics can be very personal.

    The appearance: Republicans of all stripes seem to be closing ranks with the Republican Establishment. It’s exactly what has compromised all our principles and put us in the mess we’re in. It’s killing us. One person with power and poor principles stinks up the whole place.

    It’s all the more reason to elect Ted Cruz. Never liked electing lawyers to public office, but Ted has:
    1) Constitutional law bona fides.
    2) Keen articulation of constitution, limited govt.

  • citizenkh

    is that there is some serious collaboration with Tony Lee articles on Breitbart, Redstate, et al (The Human Events Connection) with identical falsities as if if were a conservative form of JournaLists.

  • dodgeone

    Do you have Proof to back up what you wrote, put up or shut up!

  • RJLigier

    Under no circumstances will I support a socially liberal libertarian when traditional marriage is being attacked by progressives and libertarians from the Democrat and Republican Party. Whereas, Obamacare has been properly identified as a tax, it is primarily a means to socialize the sexual behavior and the neurotic behavior and its associated paraphilias of the homosexual/bisexual community to the general population. The social activism of the APAs/ABA and the Swedish model have been rejected by the European Court of Human Rights and Russia regarding homosexual marriage/adoption in the interest of children. John Roberts’ decision was no surprise as he has always advocated for special rights for homosexuals. Is replicable, empirical science sufficient to deter an activist US Supreme Court from overturning traditional marriage?

  • notpropagandized

    citizenkh (Diary), sincerely forgive my loss for words.
    Tony Lee? Identical falsities? Human Events Connection?

    I’m with you on the Journolist comparison, but it’s disingenuous. There are legitimate movement conservatives that view the Dewhurst-Cruz struggle similarly. Nothing wrong with Dewhurst if you aren’t red-meat concerned about DRAMATICALLY reversing government size and meddling and spending. That’s not to say Cruz won’t bail on us either, but indicators are that Dewhurst is part of a power center just like you and I could be. And he’s exercising that power. I’m not in it and am little guy and want concentration of power, influence and cronyism defeated as much as possible.

    So what does that have to do with journalists coordinating their message? Was the letter from Texas State Senators a fake?

  • zachv

    Getting funds from a gay donor does not mean Cruz supports LGBT causes or same-sex marriage … He’s a politician from Texas.

  • http://impudent.edublogs.org/ kyle8

    who is going to certainly vote for more big government and cronyism rather than a man who is avowedly for small government. Why? well because a guy guy supports him?

    I hate to break it to you but the rights for gay people ship has already sailed. They pretty much are treated now just like everyone else and I am not so sure that is a bad thing.

  • notpropagandized

    The point is that the power structure and network needs to be broken up similar to monopolies and oligopolies that are anti-competitive. It’s a tough thing for wealthy industrialists to give money to a candidate to do the right thing and be unconcerned that he/she won’t be remembered when special influence is desired.

    Cruz candidacy is hope that power structure can be disassembled more in favor of the little-guy conservative that is weary of seeing constitutional principles going down the drain. Dewhurst is excellent person and administrator, but falls short on communication, articulation and fire in defense of conservative principles. Cruz could be a mistake, but we don’t think so.

    We’re looking for real warriors. We want spending cuts in the billions, not millions. We want men/women who’ll get an ideological hard-on to fight the Dim socialists, bureacratists.

    The Establishment, whatever the hell that is, has failed miserably and now people who are obviously part of it want to surf on Tea Party energy and enthusiasm and get a chance for a re-do. No f way. The chance to do the right thing has come and gone. We’ll try for a new regime and see how that works. If it doesn’t work, the Establishment, whatever that is can blame itself for f it all up in the first place and getting all us amateurs involved.

  • kipling

    Cruz is a conservative stalwart who will protect traditional marriage against social liberalism.

    Dewhurst is a moderate squish who will blow with the wind in the name of bipartisanship.

  • cbartlett

    also. DD’s unlimited money is certainly driving more TV ads, mailers and I’ve seen really ugly anti-Cruz ads on several internet sites – mostly other conservative news article sites. Sure hope that the huge number of signs in yards for Cruz will translate to more votes!! A run-off like this will absolutely be dependent on turnout.

    We have another runoff in our 3-county area for a State House Rep position that became a heated race due to re-districting. The sort-of incumbent (in 2 of the counties) was a Democrat until he switched parties right before the last election. You’d think that would be a no-brainer, but he got lots of old-timer votes in the primary. His challenger has been a family friend for many years – will be working hard for the next few weeks for both of these.

  • arod

    the second sentence of your comment is quite neurotic itself.
    please tell us that you don’t seriously believe that obamacare was enacted “primarily a means to socialize the sexual behavior and the neurotic behavior and its associated paraphilias of the homosexual/bisexual community to the general population.”

    if you do believe what you wrote – i cannot seriously correspond with nuttery.

  • http://impudent.edublogs.org/ kyle8

    That he runs negative, mean spirited and out right lying campaigns and so is not a good choice.

  • cbartlett

    and justperhaps is correct – registration for NEW voters has to be done 30 days before election.

    But I believe that anyone who voted in the Democratic primary in May cannot vote in this run-off because it is a Republican run-off. Unfortunately, many Democrats choose to vote in the Republican primaries in Texas because very often there are either no Democrats running for local positions in the more conservative areas, or they are unopposed. These Democrats will usually vote for the more centrist, squishy Republican candidates in the primary (and the run-offs) and then go vote for the Democrat in November. Sure tends to screw with getting the real conservatives in office. This practice may hurt Cruz’s chances a little – Democrats kind of like how Dewhurst “reaches across the aisle” sometimes.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    And ask your medical professional to up your Risperidone.

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    Ted Cruz has worked hard in defense of traditional marriage, including his intervention in a case protecting Texas marriage laws. In addition, he has fought on the federal level to defend marriage between one man and one woman as the fundamental building block of society.

    ?When a Beaumont state court granted a divorce to two homosexual men who had gotten a civil union in Vermont, Cruz, under the leadership of Attorney General Greg Abbott, intervened in defense of the marriage laws of the State of Texas, which successfully led to the court judgment being vacated;

    ?Worked with Attorney General Abbott to send a letter to Congress in support of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

    Cruz2012

  • notpropagandized

    So obviously you are not to be taken seriously and since you have the same last name as citizenkh, (Diary), it runs in the family.

    Your role is to deflect from serious debate. That means you have already lost as has Dewhurst most likely. Are you paid to dissemble and try to save the Establishment from its demise?

    Try dumping your bath salts.

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    It shows Neil’s reply is to citizenkh, not you.

  • notpropagandized

    All apologies to the enlightened. And am bowed to the blue line. Humbled by superior eyesight. Contrite to the edge of depression, until tomorrow morning. Begging forgiveness.

    But still voting for Ted, eh? After surrendering my RedState a/c as self-flagellation

    Thanks Melody.

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    Sure didn’t want to lose a Cruz supporter. He needs all he can get, and we need him in the Senate.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    And I’m for Ted.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    .

  • citizenkh

    I just despise lies and inaccuracy. You sir and Erick are inaccurate and have not researched.

    Seek and ye shall find, but then again maybe you don’t want to.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Your insinuations just make you look insane.

  • citizenkh

    you should get out from behind the computer screen, in the meantime, I’ve got work to do with non-widget makers.

  • APA Guy

    I don’t know if you are even remotely aware of how much of an a** you are making of yourself right now, but it’s patently obvious to everyone in the room.

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    The entire letter is here, and includes the following:

    ?It is a fact that under your leadership, the sanctuary cities bill did not pass into law.

    ?It is a fact that under your leadership, the TSA groping bill did not pass into law and according to at least one Senator, you personally solicited the help of a Democrat Senator to kill the TSA bill.

    ?It is a fact that under your leadership, you led the effort to increase spending and the overall state budget grew $72 billion ? from $116 billion in 2003-2004 to $188 billion 2010-2011. And while you claim to have ?cut? the 2012-2013 budget, it is a fact that you ?kicked the can down the road? by utilizing 24 months of revenue for 19 months of services in the most recent budget and consistently utilized accounting tricks, against the wishes of conservatives.

    ?It is a fact that while you blame the ?All Funds? budget increase on federal mandates, you repeatedly led the charge to INCREASE federal entitlement spending by arguing that more Texans should be eligible for Medicaid and you used federal stimulus dollars to ?balance the budget.?

    ?It is a fact that in 2007, you stated that you supported a guest worker program ?for those here today illegally? Dewhurst: Mr. South Texas Furthermore, after the Houston Chronicle confirmed this fact by providing a web link to the text of your speech on your taxpayer-funded website, that the text of your ?Mr. South Texas? speech suddenly disappeared from the website.

    ?It is a fact that you did support and actively encourage the passage of a ?payroll tax? in 2005.

    Indeed, because of parts of your record, a long-time Texas reporter recounted that a senior Republican Senator told him that, if the Texas Senators had to vote on whether David Dewhurst should be considered one of the Ten Worst Legislators in Texas, the vote ?would be 31 to nothing.?

    Vote Cruz for Senate 2012!

  • kipling

    5t

  • rec0n

    Must be a political Karma thing.

  • http://wingright.org bnuckols

    that came up with the letterhead in the past. Over a period of time (not my inaccurate “once” ), when employed at the Eppstein Consulting firm, Grimes used the same computer as as the man who designed the logo seen at the top of the letter.