Texas House Republicans Will Campaign On “Contract With Texans”

Sources have been telling Capitol Annex for months that Republicans in the Texas House of Representatives–led by ultra-conservative wingnuts like Reps. Bill Zedler, Phil King, and Linda Harper-Brown–will be unveiling a “Contract with Texans” modeled on Newt Gingrich’s infamous “Contract With America” from 1994.

Today, we received confirmation from a couple of key sources that the “Contract With Texans” plan is, indeed, part of House Republicans’ strategy plan for maintaining the narrow hold they have on that chamber.

The “Contract With Texans” is set to include a number of the Texas GOP’s hallmark issues: passing voter ID, fighting illegal immigration, imposing appraisal caps, abolishing the margins tax, and the so-called Phil King Plan to eliminate sales tax exemptions. In addition, we understand the idea of passing a so-called “true constitutional spending limit tied to inflation plus population growth” and a mechanism for returning government surpluses to taxpayers as an actual rebate may be included, and that discussions are underway to determine whether or not a plank on stopping the Trans-Texas Corridor and eminent domain abuse will be included.

A few of these things have already been previewed. Corbin Van Arsdale had parts of them in his “Contract with Texans” which was reproduced on a flier during the GOP primary in HD 130 this spring. You can view the flier here.

Bookmark It