A battle is brewing between the pro-TX Speaker Joe Straus Establishment supporters and the anti-Straus grassroots liberty-minded forces tonight, Monday, Oct 9, at the Bexar County Executive Committee (CEC) meeting in San Antonio.
The pro-Straus people are in leadership positions including the County chairman, Robert Stovall. Straus provides a large share of the funding for the County GOP office, including the salaries for the paid staff.
Liberty-minded grassroots GOP supporters started a rebellion against Straus and his local political machine in July 2017 when they passed a resolution condemning him for his lack of conservative leadership in the Texas House. Straus has publicly called the state GOP platform, which was written and passed by a large majority of Texas Republican delegates, “manure”. He has also failed to pass key pieces of legislation in the House like the Bathroom bill.
Pro-Straus supporters claim the anti-Straus movement is fueled by a few “malcontents” in Bexar County, and by “outside agitators”. They say only 36 precinct chairs voted against Straus in July when the CEC condemned him. They plan to have all of his friends and supporters present on Monday night.
A Straus victory will be a major win for the GOP Establishment, since Straus is the 3rd most powerful Republican in the largest and most Republican state in the Union. A defeat will signal another step forward by Grassroots Conservatives in Texas and the nation.
Straus’ influence reaches wide and deep in Texas politics and economics, and thus not only Republicans, but also Democrats and big business have an interest in helping Straus. Democrats are hanging on in the Texas House only because Straus has appointed some to leadership positions, while big business leaders donate heavily to his campaigns for favorable legislation.
Tomorrow’s Bexar County GOP CEC meeting could be Straus’ reaffirmation or the beginning of his end. This is a grassroots rebellion which will either shake San Antonio’s and Bexar County’s political Establishment to the core, or it will whither on the vine.
But the Grassroots Conservatives in Bexar County, and everywhere, must remember that the defense of freedom and liberty starts in their backyard, in their precincts, with them.
