TX HD-03: Former GOP County Chair, State Rep. Candidate, Endorses Mark Homer

This came across my email on Friday, but I didn’t get a chance to get to it over the weekend. I wanted to discuss it because it is both interesting and telling. It seems that, in HD-03, a former Republican County Chairman (who also happened to have run against him in 2004) has endorsed Mark Homer.

Homer, as we all know is one of our endangered “white boy” East Texas Democrats who has been a target of the GOP establishment and Leninger for some time.

First, a couple of things noted in the release:

Former Hopkins County Republican Party Chair Jeff Cunningham today endorsed Democratic Representative Mark Homer for re-election to the Texas House of Representatives.

In issuing his endorsement Cunningham, a Sulphur Springs Chiropractic Doctor, did not mince words, “as a lifelong Republican, I would like for this letter to reflect my unconditional support for your re-election.” Cunningham, who sought the Republican nomination for the office in 2004, indicated that he was comfortable supporting Homer because of the Representative’s many conservative causes including “reasonable restraints on lawsuits and the sanctity of marriage.” Cunningham continued by saying, “ I feel your [Homer’s] common sense approach to your office has been a major source of credibility for you from persons of all political spectrums.”

What does this mean? Well, a lot of urban Democrats and liberal Democrats may be screaming, especially about the lawsuits and marriage comments. But, no matter. Hopson is a quality rural Democrat who reflects the values of his district and does a good job for his constituants. And, he’s with the mainstream of party far more often than not.

Anyway, this cycle will determine whether or not there will be a competitive race again in both Homer’s district and Hopson’s district south of this one. I personally think this will be the last time before the next redistricting that we’ll see Homer and Hopson face serious opponents if they win. Why? Because Republicans will likely finally realize that they’re spending money on far-right wing (and evern more moderate) candidates in areas where the quality of representation personal integrity of the state reps matter more than party ID, and that Republicans aren’t going to get anywhere.

Furthermore, after the Leininger opponents in this year’s primary and in previous cycles, I think that voters in these two districts have gotten the idea that Republican state house candidates are “anti-public education.” And, whether or not the actual candidate is anti-public education, that is the impression voters are going to hold for a long time because of what’s happened in these districts this cycle and in the past.