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Even before the 2006 party primary was finished, Republicans were talking about a party rift.
State Rep. Betty Brown barely edged out Wade Gent in a hard fought primary and campaign literature in several other races called Republican party loyalty into question.
While the Democrats have spent the last 18 months working on their organization, it seems the Republican wounds have not healed. Few will talk on the record, but Republican leaders on both sides acknowledge the rift. The party even has two Web sites.
The most visible example of the divide is the repeat of the race between Ms. Brown and Mr. Gent. Both sides are recounting their arguments from the last race and observers are expecting a brutal campaign.
County chairman David Hinds is on Ms. Brown’s side. He announced his resignation Wednesday, saying he can not maintain the neutrality expected of a county chairman.
“My resignation has absolutely nothing to do with any rift, alleged or otherwise, in the Republican Party,” Mr. Hinds said Wednesday evening. “My heart is with my incumbent state representative. She’s going to be in a dog fight.”
Even though the party has no rules requiring chairs to be neutral, he said he thought party officials should show no favoritism to candidates in the primary.
He recommended that Bill Baker, former president and current vice president of the Republican Men’s Club, be elected to serve out his term. It will be up to the county executive committee meeting later this month to choose a successor.
In his letter to state Republican party chairwoman Tina Benkiser dated Oct. 5, he said he thinks he has had a successful 18 months as the chairman and is leaving the party in good financial shape.
“I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever had,” Mr. Hinds said.
Parting over the platform
One group of Republicans, including Mr. Gent, says that the party is being highjacked by a small group who insist that only those who fully support the state platform, Gov. Rick Perry and Speaker of the House Tom Craddick can be considered true Republicans.
The other group, which includes Mr. Hinds, says that the platform is drawn by the party on recommendations from the county and deserves support. This group worries that the party will be taken over by fair-weather Republicans, or RINOs (Republicans in Name Only.)
Mr. Gent said Wednesday that some are so worried about strictly supporting the platform and the Austin power structure that they are willing to split the county party.
Mr. Gent and Mr. Hinds agreed that county Republicans are united on such major issues as opposition to abortion and gay marriage.
Mr. Gent said the differences concern smaller, but still important, issues. For example, there is a divide over support for the Trans Texas Corridor.
It is supported in the party platform and Mr. Perry. But many county Republicans oppose it calling it a state land grab.
“Their unwillingness to accept the minor differences is going to fracture the Republican party,” Mr. Gent said. “Voters will be so alienated that they’ll vote for an independent party or Democrats.”
Mr. Hinds points out that the platform represents the core of Republican beliefs. “The county works on that platform,” he said.
It’s important for Republicans to know that their party leadership supports the party’s core values, Mr. Hinds said.
He said he thinks any battle is not over ideology but power; that leadership of the party changed. “Those who were in power wanted to stay in power,” he said.
Mr. Baker said he thinks the divide is only over the Brown-Gent race.
“I don’t think it’s that fragmented at all,” Mr. Baker said. “You have people that are going to support Betty and people that are going to support Wade. I don’t really think it goes any deeper than that.”
© Copyright 2005-2008 by Kaufman County Online
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| Last Updated: Jan 4th, 2009 - 18:57:55 |
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