The Republican Party of Texas: Eating Its Own Since 1996

After the rash of posts over the weekend concerning the Republican Party of Texas “eating its own” in primaries where candidates are campaigning on issues including who is more conservative than their opponents, I thought back to one of the more bitter fights between conservatives and ultra conservatives within the Texas GOP, the Cornyn/Williamson battle for the AG nomination in 1996. I knew there were a number of articles written about this and decided to look them up. And, given that it’s Primary Runoff Eve, I thought I’d share snippits from some of the more entertaining ones.

[Sorry, but no links to sources, as they're all only found through paid subscription services.] Anyway, here goes:

To listen to candidates John Cornyn and Barry Williamson speak of one another, neither is fit nor qualified to be the Republican nominee for Texas attorney general.

Whomever they believe, Texas Republican voters will have a chance in Tuesday’s runoff election to decide whether Williamson or Cornyn will be their standard-bearer this fall against Democratic nominee Jim Mattox.

Williamson says Cornyn was a “liberal” justice on the Texas Supreme Court and calls him a “plaintiffs’ lawyer ally.” Williamson, a former federal official and current state railroad commissioner, says Cornyn lacks the management experience needed to run a 3,600-employee state agency.

…

Cornyn says Williamson is a “sleazy” campaigner who “faked” his resume to hide a five-year period when Williamson could not legally practice law in Texas because he had voluntarily suspended his law license. Cornyn, who has served as a judge for 13 years, says he is the only runoff candidate with the legal experience needed to be Texas’ top lawyer.

Sound like a State House Primary in Austin that’s presently going on? And, just for fun, this article included a snippit on the current Executive Director of the Republican Party of Texas:

Williamson’s campaign paid $25,000 to social conservative leader Steven Hotze’s Conservative Republicans of Harris County PAC and another $25,000 to Pauken’s chief campaign strategist, Garry Bruner of Austin. Williamson’s campaign also paid $5,000 to the North Texas office of Winning Strategies, which is run by former Texas Christian Coalition executive director Jeff Fisher.

More from another edition of the Chron. Note that the guy who is now in charge of the Texas GOP figured heavily in this “who is more conservative” fight which Cornyn eventually won, but which, nonetheless, fractured the party:

Williamson announced that he had gained the support of former Texas Christian Coalition Executive Director Jeff Fisher.

“Barry Williamson’s conservative beliefs mirror the conservative ideas of the majority of Texans,” Fisher said.

From the Austin American Statesman, March 25, 1998:

The April 14 Republican runoff for attorney general between Barry Williamson and John Cornyn has evolved into a sweepstakes to win the hearts, minds and votes of Christian conservatives.

Hum…sounds like some of the primaries going on now…except that they are between the Christian Conservatives and the Ultra Christian Conservatives.

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